


Love is friendship that has caught fire

by cat613



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: M/M, Slow Burn, Slow Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-15
Updated: 2019-01-12
Packaged: 2019-03-18 17:30:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 55,158
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13686408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cat613/pseuds/cat613
Summary: A series of firsts in their relationship





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> These first few chapters are about their first date on Valentine's Day.
> 
> I got the title from a quote that I found and couldn't help but think of what I wanted for these two - 
> 
> "Love is friendship that has caught fire. It is quiet understanding, mutual confidence, sharing and forgiving. It is loyalty through good and bad times. it settles for less than perfection and makes allowances for human weaknesses." Ann Landers
> 
> This story could be read as a sequel to another story I wrote called "The Madness of Love" or it can be read as a stand-alone piece.
> 
> I hope you all enjoy!

**Chapter One: Prologue**

 

Now this was nice – Docked at a Starbase for two days while the ship was being repaired and inspected. And I had nothing to do but sit back and relax…No missions, no experiments, no patients, no injured captains, and best of all no Spock.

 

Speaking of Spock and breaks I hope he was taking a good long break of his own right now…he was acting kind of strange lately. For the last couple of weeks or so, ever since that incident on Deneva where he lost and regained his eyesight, he had been staring at me. Just staring at me…

 

The first time I noticed it was last month when I was in the lab going over reports, I was sitting at one of the computers while Spock sat across from me at one of the analysis stations. I noticed out of the corner of my eye that he was watching me, but I didn’t think much of it. After all I stared off into the middle of nowhere thinking of other things while I waited for results too. So I shrugged it off and went back to my reports.

 

Another time I was in one of the rec rooms reading when Spock came in with his lyre and started playing music in one of the corners. I would glance over every now and then to watch him play, but his eyes seemed different. Usually he would idly look around at the other crew members or he would gaze hazily at some obscure point on the walls or ceiling lost in thought. Sometimes he would even look down at his fingers and concentrate on playing the stings of his lyre. But for some reason this time he was staring at me. For about an hour as I sat there and read he stared at me. Finally I got up to leave and his eyes followed me all the way out of the room. But again I shrugged it off; After all he could have been staring at a spot on the wall behind me and then just followed me as I walked out simply because I had moved in front of him at that moment.

 

Another time in another rec room there was a card game going on and a few people were gathered around to watch. I was sitting at a table with Chekov and Sulu while Spock was sitting at a table next to us, except he didn’t seem to be watching the game he seemed to be watching me. But a few minutes later a red alert went off and we all went running for our stations and that was the end of that.

 

But then there was the incident that happened on the bridge – Okay so it wasn’t really an “incident” but it was odd enough that I took notice of it. I was on the bridge talking with Jim and Spock was walking around from one station to the next. That wasn’t unusual, he would walk around and make sure the other stations were functioning properly, make sure the other officers were doing their jobs, things like that – mostly out of boredom or to stretch his legs without being too far away from his post. But this time whenever he went past me he would stare at me. After a few minutes of that my shoulders tensed and the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. I felt like I was being put under a magnifying glass and examined.

 

I don’t know…maybe he was just bored and needed a good puzzle to solve. (And you certainly didn’t get more puzzling than me – not to a Vulcan anyway.)

 

Hmmph…maybe he was trying to figure out how to transfer me off the ship again. Lord knows he’s tried to do that before.

 

The memory of that still left a bitter taste in my mouth, even after all this time.

 

I had just been transferred to the _Enterprise_ and Jim was showing me around the ship, introducing me to the staff, showing me where I would be working and all that. We had just entered one of the labs and there he was…the most breathe taking creature I’d laid eyes on in years. I had worked with Vulcans before but not one of them could hold a candle to him. He had long legs, beautifully pointed ears, and his dark eyes and hair made his pail green skin stand out exquisitely. And those eyes, they sucked you in like a pair of black holes that you actually wanted to get lost in.

 

“Dr. McCoy this is our chief science officer and commanding officer Mr. Spock.” Jim said introducing us.

 

Stunning and he was interested in science – I was really smitten now. And I must have been more mesmerized than I thought because I reached out my hand to shake his even though I knew Vulcans didn’t shake hands!

 

He looked down at my hand then looked up at me. “I understand from your personnel file that you have worked with Vulcans before.”

 

I looked down at my hand and lowered it as my cheeks turned red. “Yes” I said softly and sheepishly.

 

“Perhaps,” he said looking me over critically “you should re-familiarize yourself with Vulcan customs if you intend to stay on board.”

 

“I most certainly will” I said completely embarrassed.

 

I tried my best after that to make a good impression on him, but I never seemed to impress him very much. (Couldn’t blame him though, every time I got near him I turned into a clumsy, tongue-tied school boy.)

 

I was determined to prove I was worth his time and attention. Ha, I remember when he expressed an interest in learning poker during that incident with Balak, and I jumped at the chance to teach him. I jumped at any chance to spend time with him, to show that I was interested in him. But nothing I did seemed to work.

 

Finally one day I decided to take the direct approach and asked him out on a date.

 

He turned me down flat – what was it he said…?

 

“Doctor I must decline your offer as I believe you and I are incompatible and would not be a suitable nor agreeable match. I also must insist that you cease pursuing me in a romantic fashion as I am growing weary of your unwanted advances.” he said sternly “Now if you will excuse me I have experiments to tend to.” he said coolly and walked off as if we had just been discussing the weather.

 

Yeah, that hurt like hell, but I got over it and just concentrated on my work and making new friends on the ship. (Lord knows I had a lot of practice getting over grief and misery by doing things like that.)

 

It wasn’t too long after that that I noticed how different Spock was when he was around Jim. He would become softer and more relaxed when Jim was nearby. His eyes became warmer and his tone was kind and gentle. That’s when I realized Spock was attracted to Jim, and that was _very_ bad.

 

I had known Jim off and on for a few years now and we took two completely different viewpoints on romance. I was attracted to a certain personality type, gender be damned. Jim on the other hand was attracted to a certain gender, personality be damned. Spock chasing after Jim was going to end in nothing but disappointment…and possibly even pain. And the thought of Spock being hurt didn’t sit well with me.

 

So I went to see Spock privately one day and told him that I knew he was attracted to Jim and that I thought he should try pursuing someone else.

 

I thought I had done everything right, I gradually brought up the topic, I gave him my advice as professionally as possible and I thought the fact that I had known Jim for years would prove that I had known what I was talking about.

 

But that, that… _Vulcan_ sat there and accused me of being unprofessional. What was it he said…?

 

“Doctor I find it disquieting that you would set aside your ethics and morals out of a petty sense of jealousy, but I also find it disturbing that you would act in such an unprofessional manner as to over step your boundaries and meddle in the personal affairs of the commanding staff.” I tried to deny any such thing but what he said next left me speechless. “Furthermore Doctor I feel it my duty to inform you that I will be recommending your immediate transfer to the Captain.”

 

When he finally finished I got up and stormed off to my cabin before I did or said something that would get me court martialed.

 

I had as little to do with Spock as I could for the better part of a month. That’s how long it took me to figure out that my anger and bitterness wasn’t hurting anyone but me, especially Spock – he was so indifferent it was unnerving. 

 

(Besides I wasn’t being transferred so what was there to do but get used to working with him.)

 

Pretty soon my anger faded into curiosity. I started wondering if anything could disturb him, unsettle him, or undo him. I slowly tried to find out.

 

I gradually began arguing with him, nit picking about this, contradicting that…Nothing…still as calm and cool as a winter’s night. Then I began hitting him with the hard stuff; I ‘commented’ on his genetics, his ears, and finally his logic…and he didn’t bat an eye. He even began to argue right back!

 

Pretty soon all my anger was gone and my curiosity faded into more of a hobby. A hobby which over time caused me to see how disciplined he was. How he was devoted to things like loyalty, duty and honesty. And what a remarkable scientist he was. Seeing all those traits helped to make me respect him more, and I guess somehow over time that respect developed into a friendship – and a mutual friendship at that.

 

He even requested that I stand with him at his wedding – such as it was…

 

He saved my life and the lives of everyone on the ship countless times, I saved him and promptly started contradicting him about something the minute he was well again, he would oppose whatever it was I had said and came back for more “debates” later on…

 

Nah, I was probably right the first time – he was bored out of his Vulcan mind and was concentrating his attention on me out of a desperate need for a challenge.

 

I could relate to that…I remember one day I was so bored I read medical journals and reports until my eyes became blurry, and then I went on to take inventory of everything and anything in sickbay…three time!

 

He’ll probably get back to normal once we get orders in for a new mission or found some new “fascinating” scientific discovery (which seemed to happen every week on our ship). Chances were good he’d be back to his distant, uninterested self in no time.

 

And until any one of those unfortunate things happened to me, I was going to make myself a nice hot bath and a nice strong drink. No use letting a good day of rest and relaxation go to waste.   


	2. Valentine's Day?

 Well so much for back to normal.

 

It was February 2nd and a group of us were gathered together in one of the rec rooms for Scotty’s birthday.

 

“Another drink Uhura?” Sulu asked as he poured himself another small glass of brandy.

 

“Oh, no thanks Sulu I’m still trying to recover from the New Year’s party we had” she said giggling.

 

A lot of us laughed at the memory of that night, and some of us (like Scotty, Jim and Chekov) were laughing despite the fact that they couldn’t remember much of anything from that night.

 

“If you’re worried about that, then you’ll really have to pace yourself” Scotty said smiling “Valentine’s Day will be here before you know it.”

 

The room broke out into a multitude of conversations after that, some talking about the New Year’s party, some talking about work tomorrow, and some talking excitedly about Valentine’s day.

 

I decided now was the perfect time to sneak over to the buffet table. I don’t know how Jim did it but he got an entire crate’s worth of goodies for this party – including real fruit! Not frozen, not dried, not reconstituted, real, fresh fruit…including strawberries.

 

I took one of those red beauties and closed my eyes as I took a small bite out of it, licking the juice off my lips to make sure I could savor every last bit of it.

 

When I opened my eyes again I saw Spock, standing on the other side of the table, his eyes focused on me…again.

 

Jim came up and stood next to him a few seconds later.

 

“Captain, may I ask you something?” Spock asked as he turned to him.

 

“We’re off duty Spock, you can call me Jim” he said as he poured himself another glass of whiskey. “What would you like to know?” he asked sipping his drink.

 

“What is Valentine’s Day?”

 

Jim glanced up at Spock and then over to me as if to ask for help.

 

“You’ve never heard of Valentine’s Day?” I asked surprised.

 

“No” he replied simply.

 

“Well uh…” Jim cleared his throat and turned to me again.

 

That was when I started eating my strawberry again. No way was I going to try and explain a holiday devoted to romance and feelings to a Vulcan.

 

“It’s a holiday” Jim began hesitantly “dedicated to…love, and showing love to a significant other.”

 

“Is that not what anniversaries are for?” he asked looking at us curiously. “Doesn’t it seem redundant to also have a holiday devoted to performing the same function?”

 

I grabbed a hand full of raspberries and started popping them into my mouth to keep from laughing at Jim and his predicament.

 

“Yes, well, we humans enjoy love so much that we wanted an entire day to…appreciate it even more” he said trying to choose his words carefully.

 

“Perhaps I should conduct further research in the archives” he said raising his eyebrow.

 

Jim took a large gulp of his whiskey before filling up his glass again.

 

“That’s an excellent idea Spock, I can’t wait to hear what you’ve found out” he said before extracting himself to go talk to the birthday boy.

 

I shook my head and chuckled as I watched him go running off. He’s going to regret saying that later.

 

I popped another raspberry in my mouth and turned back to Spock. He was staring at me again, only this time he looked soft, almost innocent, and curious. For a second I thought he might start asking me more questions about Valentine’s Day, but Sulu came up to the table and we started talking about plants.

 

I was quite the gardener in my day, and talking to Sulu about plants always made me feel that much closer to Earth…and for the moment that much farther away from thoughts of Valentine’s Day.

 

<><><><><> 

 

The next couple of days were pretty normal for me – up to my elbows in patient complaints, up to my neck in experiments, and up to my eye balls in paper work.

 

I had just finished my last report and was leaning back in my chair when Spock came walking in.

 

“Doctor, do you have a moment?” he asked placing his hands behind his back.

 

“Sure” I said getting up and stretching before I sat on the edge of my desk. "How can I help you?" I asked crossing my arms over my chest.

 

He stared at me for the longest time before he finally blinked and started talking.

 

“I have been studying the history and customs of Valentine’s Day and I was wondering if you could clarify something for me.”

 

“I’ll do my best” I said smiling reassuringly.

 

“Is this holiday specifically for established couples?” he asked tilting his head slightly, the way he usually did when he was curious about something.

 

“No, it’s for all kinds of couples” I answered, grateful he had asked me an easy question.

 

“Is it possible to ask someone out for a first date on Valentine’s Day in order to initiate a relationship?”

 

“Well sure Spock” I said chuckling “a lot of women love to be asked out for a first date on Valentine’s Day…at least a lot of Earth women anyway.”

 

“And…Earth men?” he asked cautiously.

 

So that’s what this was all about – Spock was still hung-up on Jim, and he was planning on asking him out on Valentine’s Day by the sounds of it.

 

“Yes, yes I think there are plenty of men who like to be asked out on Valentine’s Day” I said trying to keep my voice normal and my smile in place so he wouldn’t notice my disappointment. “Depends on the man though” I added quickly.

 

“Would you be agreeable to such an idea?” he asked as he tilted his head to the other side.

 

“Well, yeah sure, but I’ve got a bit of a romantic streak in me, some men don’t really care when or where they’re asked out. It all depends on the guy” I explained as lightly as I could.

 

He looked at me expectantly, as if he was waiting for me to say something else. I was just about to ask if there was anything else, but he finally spoke up again.

 

“You have been most helpful Doctor, thank you” he said before rushing out of my office.

 

“You’re welcome Spock” I said to the quiet, empty room before leaving myself, to see if one of the holo-decks were available.

 

Maybe an hour or two stretching my legs under a clear blue sky will help clear my head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I recently watched "Catspaw" again and figured if he didn't know what Halloween or Trick-or-Treat was than I could do the same thing for Valentine's Day.
> 
> I have no idea if that is Scotty's real birthday in the series, but since I couldn't find one for him I figured I could make a made-up one work for me in the story.


	3. Questions

I barely saw any sign of Spock for the next two days after that. Jim said Spock was busy with some sort of ‘personal research,’ but he wouldn’t tell Jim any more than that.

 

So long as he was eating, sleeping and not threatening anyone like he did during his pon farr a few weeks ago he could do whatever he wanted…including asking Jim out on a date for Valentine’s Day.

 

“Doctor, may I have a moment of your time?”

 

Well speak of the devil and he appears.

 

“What can I do for you Spock?” I asked as I checked on the Gossamer mice.

 

“I was wondering if you could assist me in a music choice.”

 

“Music choice?” I said looking at him baffled.

 

“Yes, I wish to…entertain someone on Valentine’s Day and I would like to have music playing for the occasion. However, when I asked the computer banks for a selection of ‘romantic’ music it gave an extensive amount of choices in a wide range of various genres. I was hoping you could help me to narrow down my options to a more manageable level” he said as he waited for my answer.

 

“Uh, well, it, uh, depends on the person your entertaining” I said once my brain finally recovered from the shock of the question. “The general stuff like stringed instruments or pianos works pretty good” I said trying to think of what sort of music would appeal to most people.

 

“What would you like to listen to if you were on a date?” he asked with a warmth in his voice that I'd never heard directed to me.

 

“Well, I like jazz, but not everyone likes the same things. Piano music is probably your safest bet.”

 

Spock nodded and seemed to consider what I had said.

 

“Thank you Doctor, you have been most helpful and informative” he said, and then left as quickly as he came in.

 

…Helpful?...Informative?...Me!?

 

Maybe I should start keeping an eye on him, make sure he’s not having some sort of relapse of his pon farr or something.

 

It’d be just my luck if he did relapse…and it’d be just my luck if he came chasing after me for a fight…

 

Maybe I should go check on my medical kit after I’m done here, make sure I have a decent supply of tranquilizers and neuro-paralyzers on hand…just in case.

 

<><><><><> 

 

The next day I was preparing vitamins and inoculation hypos for the crew when Spock came to see me…again.

 

“Doctor, may I have a moment of your time?” he asked from the other side of the lab table.

 

“Sure Spock, what do you need” I asked as I continued to work.

 

“It is not urgent, I could come back another time if you would prefer.”

 

“No, it’s just vitamins; I could do all this in my sleep. What can I do for you?” I asked as I started preparing another hypo.

 

“Does one have to give his date chocolate confections on Valentine’s Day?”

 

“What do you mean?” I asked confused.

 

“Must one bring a box of assorted chocolates as a gift to his date or is that an optional custom?” he clarified.

 

“Oh, no you don’t have to; especially if he’s allergic or diabetic.”

 

“And the flowers, do they have to be fully grown?”

 

“…What?” I asked looking up at him for that one.

 

“I am aware that the custom is to give fully grown, cut flowers, but I know that the man I intend to ask out enjoys gardening and thought he might enjoy seeds instead of fully grown ones. However if custom dictates I use grown flowers I will need to know now in order to change my plans.”

 

“Well that’s a new one…but it’s your date if you think he’ll like seeds you go right ahead” I said trying not to sound critical.

 

“You do not sound very convinced” he said flatly “You are a gardener Doctor, how would you feel about receiving seeds on Valentine’s Day for a first date?” he asked pointedly.

 

“My honest opinion?”

 

“That would be preferable.”

 

“Honestly…I think I’d prefer fully grown flowers myself” I answered as politely as I could.

 

“I see. What sort of flowers would you recommend?”

 

“I don’t know…some men don’t care for flowers.”

 

“Since the man I am interested in likes gardening it is logical to assume that he would enjoy flowers.”

 

“Yeah, I guess you’re right. In that case roses are the most traditional option.”

 

“Would you enjoy receiving roses?”

 

“Well, not me personally, no, but they are the most common flower for Valentine’s Day.”

 

“What are your preferred flowers?” he asked, and suddenly I got more confused than ever.

 

“What do my preferences have to do with anything?” I asked baffled.

 

“There are a small number of roses on the ship and many of the ships personnel have already reserved the roses for themselves. There are quite a number of different flowers left to choose from, however any assistance in narrowing my options would be appreciated” he explained.

 

“Oh” that did make sense “well, let’s see…my favorite flowers are magnolias, but I also like honeysuckles and gardenias. I think gardenias are a pretty popular flower, you could see if you could get your hands on some of those” I suggested.

 

“Thank you Doctor, I believe I shall” he said as he left the lab hurriedly.

 

Huh, maybe Spock wasn’t going to ask Jim out after all – I certainly never heard Jim say he was interested in gardening. But then, if Spock wasn’t going to ask Jim who was he going to ask?

 

Well, no matter who he is I hope he realizes how lucky he is.

 

<><><><><> 

 

I was reading a new medical journal on my lunch break when Spock came into my office.

 

“Doctor, my I speak to you?”

 

“Of course” I said turning off my computer and giving him my full attention.

 

“Privately” he requested softly.

 

I flicked a switch on my desk and the doors to my office locked.

 

“Something wrong Spock?” I asked as he sat in the chair across from me.

 

“I had a private question I was hoping you could answer.”

 

“I’ll do my best, what’s the question?” I asked getting a little concerned now.

 

“I have never dated a human male before, how do I know if it is appropriate to kiss him goodnight?”

 

…

 

My mind screeched to a halt at that one.

 

“I uh…I guess the same way you know if a woman wants you to kiss her goodnight.”

 

He did know about kissing human women right?

 

Yeah, yeah, he dated that Leila Kalomi girl for a while – at least they acted like they had dated for quite a while after they ran into each other on Omicron Ceti III

 

“I see…and if for some reason I am still unsure?” he asked, his voice sounding a little edgy.

 

“Well, if all else fails you could just ask him out right.”

 

“How would I go about doing that?” he asked looking curious.

 

I couldn’t help but look at him and smile softly and fondly at him.

 

“You just say ‘can I kiss you goodnight?’ simple as that. If they hesitate that means ‘no’ and if they say ‘yes’ then you go ahead and kiss them.”

 

“Such a tactic would not be offensive?” he asked a little surprised.

 

Guess Vulcans aren’t as direct about these things as I thought…then again we are dealing with emotions…

 

“Of course not” I assured him “In a way you’re being chivalrous by giving them all the control like that.”

 

He paused to think about that for a moment.

 

“You have an excellent point Doctor, thank you for the advice” he said as he stood.

 

“Any time Spock” I said as I unlocked the doors.

 

“Good day Doctor” he said as he left.

 

“Good day” I replied as I turned my computer back on.

 

A kiss on the first date…Spock must really be taken with this man, whoever he is.

 

<><><><><> 

 

The day after that I was in the lab cleaning up after a few experiments when Spock snuck up behind me.

 

“Doctor”

 

I jumped when he spoke and leaned against the lab tables when I saw that it was him.

 

“Spock, one of these days you’re going to give me a heart attack” I said as I rubbed my chest, trying to get my heart to return to its normal rhythm.

 

“Forgive me Doctor, I often forget that your hearing isn’t as acute as mine” he said as he walked around the table to face me.

 

“What do you want Spock?” I asked as I started wiping the table again, a little more forcefully than I needed to.

 

“I had a small concern, I was wondering if I could get your opinion on the matter” he said as he held his hands behind his back.

 

“What’s that” I asked with a mixture of annoyance and curiosity.

 

“I am trying to ascertain the best way to ask my intended over to my cabin for a date without… ‘frightening him off’ I believe is the way Jim put it.”

 

“To your cabin! Why Spock, you deviant little devil you” I said smiling mischievously.

 

“Doctor my choice of location was based on logic, nothing more” he said in that patronizing way that always rubbed my nerves the wrong way.

 

“Well now I have got to hear this one” I said laying the cleaning rag off to the side and crossing my arms.

 

“I wished for us to have privacy for the evening, which of course leaves few options on a starship as most of the areas are for common use. I also wanted to… ‘set the mood’ I think is how it’s put, and my cabin was left as the only natural choice. I assure you I have nothing illicit in mind.”

 

Knowing Spock his date was probably as safe as a baby in a bassinet, but I never could resist needling him.

 

“But you wouldn’t mind if something ‘illicit’ were to happen afterward would you?” I asked with a sly grin.

 

“That would be his choice” he said as his cheeks became a little darker.

 

“Always the perfect gentleman aren’t you Mr. Spock?” I said dropping my teasing tone for a more sincere one.

 

“I attempt to be, and I wish to convey that in my invitation, but I must admit I am having some difficulty. I was wondering if you had any ideas.”

 

I leaned against the lab table thinking for a second…

 

“I assume you out-rank the man you want to ask out?” I asked fishing for a little more information.

 

“I do” he said with a curt nod.

 

Well I’ll be damned, he really wasn’t asking Jim out…Focus McCoy, focus…

 

“So basically, you need to ask him without making him feel intimidated or obligated, is that right?”

 

“Correct, and since you are more familiar with human emotions than I am I figured you would have more applicable solutions to my problem.”

 

“All right, just give me a minute to come up with something” I said as I thought it over… “Okay, what do you think of this – you take a flower…you did get flowers right?”

 

“I did”

 

“Okay, you take one of those flowers and a card and you place them at his work station. On the card you write ‘From a secret admirer, who humbly requests your presence at…such and such a place at such and such a time,’ what do you think?” I asked smiling.

 

He paused to think it over a moment.

 

“It sounds passive enough, it does not sound too obligatory, and from what I understand it has the right amount of romance and intrigue.” He reflected on it a bit longer and then looked at me more intently “would you be offended or upset at receiving such an invitation?” he asked tentatively.

 

“No, not at all” I said reassuringly.

 

“Thank you Doctor, I believe your solution is a pleasing one” he said as he walked out of the lab.

 

So…he finally took my advice and went chasing after someone other than Jim. That was good…

 

But a small part of me wished that he had chosen me…

 

<><><><><> 

 

I had just finished doing an inventory of the medical supplies and went looking for Jim to have him sign for more. I went to the rec room expecting to find him and Spock playing chess, but I ran into Scotty and Chekov instead. They said they last saw the two of them heading off to Spock’s quarters, so off I went before they ran off someplace else.

 

I went up to Spock’s door and activated the sensor. When he called out for me to enter I stepped inside to see Jim – and he smiled when he saw me…nothing good ever came of that.

 

“Bones maybe you can help” he said as he placed a hand on my shoulder and guided me over towards Spock “Spock here has a date tomorrow and he can’t decide what to wear” he said gesturing to the two tunics resting on Spock’s bed.

 

Spock already asked him? And he said yes!

 

Well of course he said yes, what guy in his right mind wouldn’t?

 

“In point-of-fact Captain I haven’t asked him yet, but I wish to be prepared if he accepts” Spock said calmly.

 

“If he knows a good thing when he sees it he’ll accept, won’t he Bones?” Jim said as he nudged me.

 

“Of course he will” I said trying to keep the jealousy out of my voice.

 

“Thing is Spock can’t decide what to wear and I like them both, so maybe you can help him” he said smiling at Spock like a proud older brother.

 

I looked at the two selections. One was black with silver trim; the other was brown with gold trim.

 

“May I” I asked as I went reaching for the black one.

 

“Of course” he said as he stood up straighter.

 

I held the flowing garment up to Spock’s neck. The black complimented his hair and skin nicely and his eyes looked dark and deep. I put it down on the bed and picked up the brown one. I put that one up near Spock’s neck and I was stunned speechless. The brown contrasted his skin and made his cheeks blossom with color almost instantaneously. And the brown and gold colors not only brought out the warm copper color of his eyes, but also made gold flecks appear in his eyes. I never even knew he had gold in his eyes until that moment…

 

I regained my senses just in time to notice that I had been staring at him longer than necessary.

 

“This one” I said clearing my throat “it brings out your eyes.”

 

Jim stepped closer and looked between Spock and the tunic. “Huh, you’re right, I didn’t notice that. It’s a good thing you came along Bones” he said as he stepped back. “By the way, why did you come by?” he asked as I put the tunic back on the bed.

 

“Oh, we need some medical supplies when we dock at the next Starbase. I brought the requisition form up for you to sign” I said handing him the PADD.

 

“Good luck on your date Spock” he said as he signed the form and handed it back to me before leaving with a smile on his face.

 

“Do you have plans for Valentine’s Day Doctor?” Spock asked before I could leave.

 

“I’ll probably do what I did last year” I said as casually as I could.

 

“What is that?” he asked curiously.

 

“Watch a movie and eat popcorn” I said as I shrugged “enjoy your date Spock” I said before leaving as quickly as possible.


	4. Their First Date

It was officially Valentine’s Day and I was already irritated with all the constant giggling. I swear almost every female staff member I had was going on a date tonight, and every one of them was buzzing with excitement. 

 

My male staff, on the other hand, were all whispering covertly with each other about their plans with this person or that person tonight.

 

And my patients weren’t helping my annoyance decline either. Nearly every patient I had was injured because they were distracted thinking about their date tonight…this crewman got a fracture because they were distracted; another got burned because they were distracted. On and on it went, one after the other.

 

I finally finished up with my last patient at the end of my shift and was about to turn off my computer when I was stopped short. Right there, sitting on my desk was a pink honeysuckle flower sitting on top of a pink envelope.

 

I picked up the flower and the envelope. I opened up the envelope and found a white card inside, with a red design on the edges.

 

It said…

 

_From a secret admirer who humbly requests your presence in cabin 3G 126 at 18:00 hours for a candlelight dinner for two._

Cabin 3G 126…That’s Spock’s cabin!

 

Oh, I bet I got Spock’s invitation by mistake. There was no name on the envelope so it could have been delivered to the wrong station.

 

I looked at the clock on my desk and it said 17:30. I had just enough time to go to Spock and explain the mix up before his date.

 

I put the card back in the envelope and rushed off to the turbo-lift, watching the flower all the way to make sure I didn’t damage the petals.

 

I walked up to Spock’s door and waited to be let in, when he called for me to come in and the door slid open I got a real shock. 

 

Spock had really gone all out for this date. The lighting was turned down low, there were candles and dinner trays on his desk, and a large vase of gardenias were sitting on the shelf next to his desk.

 

“Leonard you are early” Spock said as he stepped out from behind the wall dividing his bed from the desk.

 

God he looked gorgeous…

 

Wait a minute – did I hear him right?

 

“You were expecting me?”

 

“Not for another fifteen minutes, but I am pleased you’re here” he said softly as he stepped closer to me.

 

“You mean this invitation was for me?!”

 

He looked at me with a confused expression on his face. “Forgive me, but am I to understand that you are not here in response to my invitation?”

 

“I…I thought it was left on my desk by mistake.”

 

“It was not” he said as he took a small step back “I take it then that you do not wish to stay” he said in a thick tone.

 

I looked at him, his eyes sparkling with gold flecks, his brown tunic floating on his body, black pants and boots hugging his legs, and his skin glowing in the candlelight…I was mesmerized…and I didn’t want to leave.

 

He stepped over to the desk and was about to blow out the candles…

 

“So you did all this for me?” I asked in disbelief.

 

“Yes” he answered simply as he gazed at me with hopeful eyes.

 

I looked at him, all dressed up and glowing…I looked at the make-shift table and the flowers. Then I looked down at the pink honeysuckle and invitation I was holding.

 

“Well…I guess I could stay” I said as blood rushed up to my cheeks “seeing as how you went to all this trouble and all” I said in an attempt to make the room feel lighter than it really felt.

 

Spock didn’t say anything, he did eventually move though. He walked around the table and pulled out the chair for me…

 

I swallowed the lump that was forming in my throat and sat down, laying the invitation and honeysuckle down by the vase of gardenias.

 

“I presume you have questions” he said as he sat across from me.

 

“Well you got to admit all of this” I said gesturing to the room “is a bit surprising considering you turned me down when I asked you for a date” I said with a little more bite and bitterness than I meant to.

 

Spock looked down at his hands and then looked back up at me.

 

“I was in error” he finally said, his cheeks turning a shade greener.

 

“What?”

 

Did I just hear what I think I heard?

 

“I made a mistake” he said as he sat up straighter to brace himself for my reply.

 

But I didn’t have a reply. I just sat back stunned…

 

Spock was hardly ever wrong about anything, and I couldn’t for the life of me remember him ever saying he had made a mistake.

 

“I need a drink” I shouldn’t have said that out loud, but between him asking me out for a date and then admitting he had made a mistake…it was all too much.

 

Spock got up, went to the wall, pushed the button to make his closet rotate to his dresser, pulled open the top drawer and pulled out a bottle filled with a dark amber liquid. He set the bottle down in front of me and I looked at the label…it was a 12 year old Jack Daniel’s Tennessee whiskey!

 

I looked at that label and back up at Spock dumbfounded.

 

“Spock, you bought a bottle of 12 year old whiskey for a date? I mean it’s nice, but that must have cost you a bundle.”

 

“I actually bought it more as a peace offering. It is my way of apologizing for the way I treated you” he said as he sat back down.

 

I looked at him and back down at the whiskey.

 

It’s a lucky thing for him I was a sucker for a good drink.

 

“Apology accepted” I said as I opened up the bottle and poured a shot in the small glass sitting next to my tray. “Do you want a shot?” I asked holding the bottle up.

 

“No thank you Leonard, I wouldn’t want your gift to go to waste on me.”

 

The way he said my name…made me feel warm and serene, like a glass of brandy in front of a fireplace on a cold night.

 

I took a sip of the whiskey, hoping it would put a little moisture in my suddenly dry mouth. The whiskey shot through me and warmed up my whole body instantly.

 

“Is it to your liking?” Spock asked expectantly.

 

“It’s very good, very smooth” just like your voice, but I didn’t dare say that out loud.

 

“Jim thought that you would enjoy it” he commented softly.

 

I sobered up just a bit at the mention of Jim’s name.

 

“Does he know about this?” I asked as I held my glass with both hands and looked down into the dark liquid.

 

“About the whiskey?” he asked, his eyebrow raising up with his curiosity.

 

“I mean the date” I said with my shoulders sagging in exasperation.

 

Spock looked down at his hands for a moment and then looked back up at me.

 

“There were many times when I wanted to confess my growing attraction towards you. But I found that every time I wished to bring up the topic I would become uncomfortable, he knows that I wanted to ask a man out for Valentine’s Day…but I could not bring myself to tell him that I was asking you.”

 

I nodded as I stared into my drink.

 

“That might be for the best” I said looking up at him. “If this thing between us doesn’t end up working I’d rather he wasn’t stuck in the middle of it” I explained pensively as I thought about Jim.

 

He worked so hard as it was, and the thought of him experiencing any kind of tension because of us didn’t seem fair to him.

 

“Logical” Spock said as he nodded his head in agreement, the look in his eyes telling me that we were on the same page.

 

That’s what I liked about Spock – we didn’t agree on much, but when it came to Jim we were usually in complete agreement…most of the time…

 

All right enough of this melancholy stuff, this was supposed to be a Valentine’s date after all.

 

“So, what did you have planned for the night?” I asked with a small smile.

 

Spock’s appearance seemed to perk up after that.

 

“On the slim chance that you were acquiescent to the idea, I thought we could have dinner and talk.”

 

“That sounds good” I said smiling approvingly.

 

“I will go and retrieve the first course then” he said as he went to the replicator near his bed.

 

I could hear him pushing a few buttons and then I heard some slow jazz music fill the room. I smiled as I finished my whiskey, the drink and the music warming me deep down to my bones.

 

Spock replicated us some drinks and brought them over to the table, then he went back and brought out two salads.

 

“I hope you do not mind a Greek salad, the Caesar salad cards were all taken” he said as he handed me the plate.

 

“I don’t mind at all. It’s been ages since I’ve had Greek salad.”

 

The conversation slowed to a stop after that. Neither of us talked for the longest time. I finally couldn’t take it anymore and just spoke up.

 

“I’m sorry; I just have no idea what to say. Usually on a first date you’re asking questions to get to know each other, but you and I already know a lot about each other.”

 

“There is also a lot that we do not know about each other,” he said looking at me rather deeply “and we could always start with some simple questions” he suggested.

 

“Like what?”

 

“How was your day?”

 

There was a small pause between us…then I smiled warmly and started to tell him about my day.

 

After that it was like a flood gate had opened. We each took turns talking about how our days went until the salads were gone. Then Spock went over and got our dinners ready. He apologized for not being able to get a pasta dish, but when I saw that he had gotten me a fish dinner I got to talking about the fishing trips my family and I went on. After that we started talking about our families. Well, I talked more than he did, but I did get him to talk about his Mom. He was a little closed off when I asked him about his Dad and his childhood, so I shifted to safer ground and we started talking about the academy and our careers.

 

By the time he brought out the desserts we were telling stories about Starfleet. He talked about some of the adventures and discoveries he made with Captain Pike, and I talked about my medical work on one planet or the other – and he was actually interested in everything I had to say. I can’t remember the last time I talked to someone about medicine or biology without having their eyes glaze over, or their expressions going blank.

 

It was so nice to talk to someone about science and have them follow just about everything you were saying.

 

Before I knew it the desserts in front of us were all gone.

 

“Would you like some coffee?” he asked sounding a little unsure of himself.

 

“It’s a little late for coffee, but I wouldn’t mind some tea” I said feeling a little more reluctant than I’d care to admit about the idea of leaving.

 

We sipped tea and talked some more, each of us slipping into an easy rhythm of talking and listening – and I was becoming more and more convinced that I could listen to him talk all night.

 

Once my tea was gone I looked over at the clock on his desk and was shocked at the time. It said 22:15; we had been sitting here talking for almost five hours.

 

“I, uh, I had no idea how late it was…I didn’t mean to stay so long” I said as I got up from my chair.

 

“I’m quite pleased you did” he said as he sprang up out of his chair to stand in front of me.

 

I couldn’t help but smile at how eager he seemed about all this.

 

“I had a wonderful time” I said as I looked into those deep rich eyes.

 

“As did I” he said as he glanced down at my lips.

 

My heart skipped a beat and my breath hitched.

 

“May I…” he stopped short and looked up at my eyes.

 

“Yes?” I asked as my pulse sped up.

 

“May I…escort you back to your cabin?” he asked swallowing and causing his Adam’s apple to bob.

 

“Ah…sure” I said.

 

I was expecting him to say something else, but maybe I was imagining things. Or this was how a Vulcan acted on a date, since I’ve never been on a date with one that was more than possible.

 

Spock escorted me out of his quarters and we walked down the hall to the turbo-lift. The halls were so quiet and empty…it was almost like we were the only two people on board.

 

We were silent on our way to the lift, and as we waited. My head was full of questions I wanted answered… ‘Should I kiss him goodnight?’ ‘Would I scare him away if I tried?’ ‘Should I ask about a second date?’ ‘Should I wait for him to bring it up?’

 

My head was swimming with questions like that and my throat was thick with the anxiety they caused.

 

I looked over at Spock, his posture straight and stable, his hands clasped firmly behind his back, he was the picture of calm, cool and collected.

 

I, on the other hand, had no idea what to do with my hands, or what came next.

 

The doors to the lift opened up and we stepped on. Spock held one hand behind his back as the other took a hold of the controller.

 

Guess that means he wasn’t interested in holding hands.

 

Well he was a Vulcan; they probably took these kinds of things a lot more slowly than us humans. I held my hands behind my back, just in case they decided to operate without my knowledge.

 

The doors slid open and Spock walked me to my door. I turned to face him and he looked tense.

 

“Dinner was wonderful tonight” I said nervously “everything was wonderful” I added as my eyes swept from his eyes to his legs.

 

“Leonard may I…” he looked down at my lips and back up to my eyes “express how grateful I am that you joined me this evening” he finally said.

 

I let out a breath and my cheeks turned red…I thought for sure he was going to ask to kiss me, but I’m not sure if the idea excited me or frightened me.

 

“May I contact you for a second date?” he asked softly.

 

“Yes” I said excitedly.

 

“I will contact you tomorrow then. Goodnight Leonard” he said as he bowed slightly and walked over to the turbo-lift.

 

“Goodnight Spock” I whispered softly.

 

His sensitive ears picked up my words easily and he turned towards me. I smiled at him and I saw his cheeks turn bright green when I did.

 

The doors slid open to the lift and Spock stepped inside, but his eyes didn’t leave me the whole time. The doors to the lift eventually slid shut and I stepped into my quarters.

 

I spent the rest of the night smiling thinking about our next date.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I know, I'm really sorry, but I had plans for their first kiss in the next chapter so please be patient with me.
> 
> Thank you.


	5. What are the odds?

When I woke up this morning I was happy beyond belief, and everything in the ship seemed different. The same recirculated air that I breathed day-in and day-out seemed fresher and the artificial gravity felt lighter than usual.

 

I had just finished getting dressed and ready for my shift when someone rang to come in.

 

“Come” I called out, but no one came in “come in” I called out again, but the doors didn’t move.

 

I swear if that’s Jim or Scotty needing a hangover cure again…

 

But when I opened the door there was no one there. I looked down and there was a vase of gardenias sitting at my feet.

 

I brought the vase and flowers over to my desk and found a card sitting in the middle of the flowers. It said…

 

_Meet me in my cabin at 17:45 tonight?_

_Spock_

 

I thought these flowers looked familiar.

 

17:45, that’s an odd time, but my shift would be long over by then – and I couldn’t wait to see what he had planned for tonight.

 

<><><><><> 

 

I was floating on air the whole rest of the day. Even the call from Jim to meet him in the transporter room didn’t seem to bother me all that much, so I got my gear and went down to the transporter room with hardly any fuss.

 

When I walked in Jim had his arms crossed over his chest and he looked a little apprehensive.

 

“Bones, I’ve got some good news and some bad news” he said as he placed his hands down on his hips.

 

Oh great, that tone of voice meant he was going to tell me something he knew I didn’t want to hear.

 

“The bad news is we are going to Aldebaren III to restock our supplies and they just informed us that they are out of Oseraan serum.

 

Damn, I needed that for our next trip to Alpha Proxima II. This time of year the Alphari plant is in harvest, which is fine for the inhabitants to make Alphari flour and bread, not so good for visitors from Earth. The pollen from those things can cause nasty sinus and upper respiratory infections if the crew doesn’t have Oseraan shots before they land.

 

Jim, sensing my agitation, held up a hand to stop me from ranting before he went on.

 

“The good news is we made a scan of the planet below and there are some Osera plants down there that you can bring up for processing.”

 

Hearing that made me cool down quite a bit and that also explained why some of the crew were putting empty containers on the transporter pad.

 

Spock walked in just as the crewmen left, and I had to bite down on my tongue to keep from smiling at him. Course there wasn’t anything I could do about my cheeks turning red.

 

“Spock here will be helping you out on the planet” Jim said as he stepped behind the transporter controls with Scotty.

 

“You’re not coming?” I asked surprised.

 

Jim never missed out on a chance to go planet side and stretch his legs.

 

“I, uh, have some paper work to catch up on” he said a little sheepishly.

 

“Oh?” I said surprised again.

 

Jim didn’t really like paper work, but he wasn’t a slacker about doing it.

 

“I might have gotten a little…distracted yesterday, and forgot about a stack of reports on my desk” he said as he smiled, happily remembering last night no doubt. “Speaking of yesterday” Jim said turning to Spock “how did your date go?” he asked with a huge grin.

 

I tensed and became red when he asked Spock that. Of all the subjects for Jim to change to, he’s got to go and pick the one that will wreak havoc on my blood pressure.

 

“It was most delightful” he answered, which made me jittery to no end.

 

Jim smiled ever brighter and looked anxious for more details.

 

“You had a date Mr. Spock?” Scotty asked surprised.

 

“Yes, and I hope to have another in the near future” he said as he glanced over at me for a brief second.

 

Great now he’s starting to wreak havoc on my blood pressure!

 

I always knew Jim or Spock would be the death of me. Now they were racing to see who offed me first.

 

“Congratulations Mr. Spock, who’s the lucky lass?” Scotty asked grinning as badly as Jim.

 

“There is no ‘lass’ Mr. Scott, I am dating one of the male crew members” Spock corrected.

 

“Oh, ho, even better. Leaves more lovely lasses for the rest of us don’t it Captain?” he said turning to Jim.

 

They had a good laugh about that, and that’s when I decided to extract myself from the conversation – before they started asking me any questions about yesterday.

 

I turned my attention to the transporter pad to make sure everything was in order.

 

There were two empty spots for me and Spock to stand. On one pad were the supplies we would need – two bags, some pruning shears, some twine, and some canisters of water. The next two pads had containers that could hold up to 30 pounds each, which would be more than enough for our needs. I turned to look at what was on the last pad and all the color drained out of me.

 

“What’s that?” I said pointing to the large black box accusingly.

 

“That? That would be a survival kit Doctor” Scotty said smiling tensely.

 

“I know what it is what’s it doing there?” I asked getting irritated now.

 

“It, uh, it’s uh” Scotty stammered until Spock stepped in.

 

“Some of the power mechanisms in the transporter controls are due for cleaning and the computer components need updating” Spock said as he stepped in front of me “the transporter will be turned off while we are on the planet” he explained calmly.

 

“What?!”

 

“Once the maintenance work is complete it will be turned on in order to recover us, which should take no longer than two hours” he continued evenly, but I didn’t hear a word of that.

 

All I heard over and over again was ‘turned off’.

 

“Now look here, I may hate transporters, but I sure as hell don’t like it when they’re shut off” I said as I pointed to that accursed contraption.

 

“By the time we are finished with the plants, the transporter will be functioning and you will not be the worse for wear Doctor” Spock said in that patronizing tone.

 

I was feeling my blood pressure rise up even higher now, and it’s a wonder my teeth weren’t cracking from how tight my jaw was clenching right now.

 

“Bones you’ll be fine” Jim said in a tone that was no doubt meant to sooth me.

 

“What do you mean fine?!” I said turning to Jim now “You and I both know that all the shuttlecrafts are out of commission because the navigation controls are being worked on. If anything happens to the transporters we’re stuck down there for…who knows how long” I said my voice getting louder and more agitated.

 

“Doctor,” Spock said as he stepped on to the transporter pad “the odds of anything happening to the transporters are 3,452 to 1. We will be fine and all your emotionalism is doing is holding up our productivity.”

 

I was about to protest some more when Jim spoke up.

 

“Bones I order you on that transporter” he said sternly.

 

“But…”

 

“Now” he said in his Captain’s voice that said that this conversation was officially over.

 

Resigned to my fate I stepped onto the pad and gave Jim my ‘if I die you’re paying for it’ glare.

 

“Energize” Spock said, and off we went.

 

<><><><><> 

 

The planet appeared before my eyes and it looked pleasant enough. Green grass, tall trees with orange leaves and in a large clearing a field of Osera plants. They were knee high green plants with purple leaves. All we had to do was trim off about six inches; use the stem and leaves to make the medicine, and the rest of the plant left on the planet would grow back in a few weeks.

 

That was the easy part now the unpleasant part.

 

“Is this planet safe?” I asked looking around for any signs of danger.

 

“This planet is uninhabited except for animal life. There is aquatic life and avian life, along with a great number of harmless marsupials who should stay clear of us. There are some predators, but most of them are either south of us or waiting to hunt until night fall. However I believe keeping our phasers set to heavy stun and close by would be a wise precaution” Spock said as he gathered his tools together and set his phaser to stun.

 

I went over and did the same and started trimming off the plants that we needed. Once we had a decent amount we tied them in bundles and placed them in the containers.

 

I took a bundle and put them on top of the container we weren’t using yet and used it as a make-shift table so I could tie the bundles together.

 

“Is 17:45 acceptable?” Spock asked suddenly.

 

“What?” I asked as I looked up at him.

 

“Our date tonight, is 17:45 acceptable?” he asked again as he brought over his own bundle to be tied.

 

“Oh, right, yeah that sounds fine. Are we going to have dinner again?” I asked curiously.

 

“They are playing a new documentary on the marine life of Nahmi IV. I thought we could meet and walk down to the theater together” he said as he tied his bundle and placed it in the container. “However if you wish to join me for dinner beforehand I would not be opposed to the idea” he added quickly.

 

“I’d like that” I said smiling as I grabbed my shears and started trimming the plants again.

 

Spock came over and knelt down on the ground next to me.

 

“Leonard, are you upset with me, about that…disagreement we had in the transporter room?” he asked his eyes looking as soft as his voice sounded.

 

I smiled at him; it started off warm and caring, and then turned sly and devilish.

 

“Can I let you in on a little secret?” I whispered in a conspiring tone.

 

“Yes” he whispered back and leaned closer to me.

 

“I love arguing with you, I love debating with you, and I love contradicting you” I said, and then realized how close I was to him…almost close enough that I could kiss him.

 

His eyes darted from my lips to my eyes several times before he started speaking again.

 

“I always suspected that, but thank you for confirming my suspicions. I also enjoy our…discussions” he said, his eyebrow quirking up on the last word and his eyes darting back down to my lips.

 

The air suddenly became heavy around me and my hands were itching to pull him close to me so I _could_ kiss him. But my mind kept telling me ‘he was a Vulcan and I had to go at his pace or risk chasing him off.’

 

Spock sat back and cleared his throat. “We should get back to work” he said as he turned and started trimming “I would not like to fall behind and be forced to work late.”

 

Oh, I couldn’t help but nibble at bait like that…Lord knows by the way he reacted just now I wasn’t nibbling on anything else for quite some time.

 

“If I recall correctly, Spock, you used to hate it when Jim and I would tell you to stop working so many hours” I said smiling slyly as I finished collecting enough plant cuttings for another bundle.

 

“Hate is a human emotion that I am not familiar with Doctor, and as for my preferring to work long hours, that was before I had better things to do during my free time” he said and I caught him looking me over appraisingly.

 

A shiver ran up my spine and my breath became trapped deep in my chest. I’ve never seen him look like that at anyone. Like he was curious, interested and hungry all at once…

 

I swallowed hard and went back to the plants, before I went and pounced on him.

 

<><><><><> 

 

We worked in relative silence for the rest of the time. Most of the time it was an easy, familiar silence…but once in a while I would ketch him staring at me and then the silence and space between us would get thick and heavy with a want I couldn’t do anything about. A need was hanging between us that couldn’t be satisfied and it was starting to drive me insane.

 

“You have ceased working Doctor,” Spock said as he looked up at me from the field “and your productivity has slowed considerably in the last 27 minutes.”

 

“You make an amazing distraction Mr. Spock” I countered.

 

“Three more bundles each and we are finished, we could return to the ship, clean up, and begin our date early.”

 

Touché

 

“Well, when you put it that way…” I said and started working double time to finish my bundle and start on the next one.

 

“I am slowly starting to understand why females have such an influence over their mates” Spock said as I knelt down near him.

 

“What can I say Spock” I said chuckling “You’re a great distraction and a great motivator all at once.”

 

“That is a contradictory statement Doctor” he said as his eyebrows creased trying to sort out what I had just said.

 

“You better get used to it if you want to keep dating me.”

 

That one got his eyebrow to perk up.

 

“I see you are familiar with how to properly motivate a mate as well” he said sounding slightly defeated.

 

“You bet I do darlin’ ” I said chuckling again.

 

My laughter died down when I heard a loud clang. I turned toward Spock, he opened up his hand that was holding his pruning shears…and they were broke!

 

I looked up at him with what had to be the most incredulous look I had ever given him.

 

He cleared his throat and stood up.

 

“Perhaps you should see to the trimming, and I will see to tying off the bundles and gathering our supplies” he said before he went over to the containers.

 

I had to bite down on my lip to stop myself from laughing – No way was I letting that incident go without a comment or two.

 

<><><><><>

 

We eventually finished up and I just had to ask him when I handed him the last bundle for tying…

 

“So, how are you going to explain those broken shears to Jim?” I asked as I leaned on the other container.

 

“I thought I would tell him the truth.”

 

“And that is?” I prompted.

 

“I was working with the shears when they broke in my hand” he said looking at me as if it was an obvious solution.

 

“I can’t wait to see how that turns out” I said laughing.

 

He sealed up the last container and pulled out his communicator.

 

“Spock to _Enterprise_ , stand-by to beam up.”

 

Spock was about to close the communicator when Scotty started talking.

 

“Scott to landing party, stand-by for the Captain.”

 

Spock and I looked at each other confused…and then I got a bad feeling.

 

“What were those odds again? 3,000…”

 

“3,452 to 1” he said, repeating his earlier calculations in a less confident tone than in the transporter room.

 

“Kirk here, do you read me Spock?” Jim said through the communicator.

 

“Spock here, is everything all right captain?”

 

Of course there’s something wrong, there’s always something wrong with transporters!

 

“We’ve…run across some problems with the transporters” Jim said quickly.

 

I knew it! Stupid good-for-nothing machines.

 

“It seems the new computer programs for the transporter's computers and the programs for the shuttlecrafts got…mixed up.”

 

I have the worst luck in the universe.

 

“We’re correcting the problem now, but it could be three to four hours before the technicians can get you two back on board.”

 

Dental exams – that’s what I’ll do. Schedule both Scotty and Jim for an early dental exam.

 

“Dr. McCoy and I shall make ourselves comfortable and await your signal, Spock out” he said as he closed the communicator and looked at me intensely “I believe you and I are having an impromptu picnic” he said his voice rich and smooth as that whiskey he gave me the other night.

 

Then again, maybe I’ll buy Jim and Scotty each a drink.

 

Spock walked past me over to the survival kit and opened it up.

 

A survival kit usually had spare communicators, spare phasers and phaser packs along with some blankets and enough protein bars to last a few days.

 

Spock took out one of the blankets, laid it down on the ground, pulled out a couple of protein bars, and sat down on the blanket.

 

“Care to join me Leonard?” he asked placing his hand on the spot next to him.

 

“I usually hate those protein bars…but since the company’s so good, I think I’ll make an exception” I said smiling playfully as I sat next to him.


	6. Their First Kiss

We ate our protein bars and talked. Then we sat back on the blanket and talked some more, right up until the sun started setting and the planets two moons started to appear from behind the clouds.

 

“You look beautiful this evening” Spock said, his eyes looking so deep and dark in the soft light of the sunset.

 

“Ha, you should see me cleaned up and wearing something other than my uniform” I said with a blush.

 

“Although the image sounds pleasing, I have a fondness for your uniform” he said reaching out and touching my forearm with his first two fingers.

 

His fingers touched me so lightly and yet the electricity that went through me because of that touch was so powerful it almost hurt.

 

“You were wearing this uniform when I first became infatuated with you” he said as his fingers slid along the fabric of my uniform.

 

“When was that?” I whispered curiously.

 

His eyes, which were riveted to my arm moved up to meet my eyes.

 

“Do you remember when I lost my eyesight over Deneva?” he asked softly.

 

“Yes” I said as the rush of guilt and relief from that day came flooding back.

 

“When I regained my sight you were bending over me wearing this uniform” his fingers moved up to the bear skin on my wrist.

 

His fingers rested on my pulse point and his thumb laid on the back of my hand. There was something strangely protective and possessive about that position that made me feel like I was the center of his whole world…like nothing in the galaxy mattered right now but me.

 

“That is when I…” he paused as if he was looking for words “I apologize it is difficult to explain.”

 

I smiled at him reassuringly and waited for him to find the right words.

 

He shifted on the blanket so he was closer to me without letting go of my wrist.

 

“It is odd and it is not logical, but…it’s as if I was seeing you for the first time…”

 

He stopped as if he was searching for words again, but after a moment it started to look like he had run out of words. He leaned in closer to me his eyes moving down to my lips.

 

“Leonard could I…”

 

The communicator on his belt started beeping then.

 

Spock sighed as he moved away from me to sit up and answer the signal.

 

“Spock here” he said in a clipped manner as I sat up next to him.

 

“Scott here Mr. Spock, ready to beam you and Dr. McCoy up whenever you’re ready” Scotty replied in a much too chipper tone, while I sat there feeling cheated and annoyed.

 

And now I’m back to scheduling those dental exams.

 

“Acknowledged stand-by” he said as he closed the communicator and turned to me.

 

His face was neutral and expressionless but I could see the exasperation in his sagging shoulders.

 

There was nothing that I could say so I just shrugged, got up and started picking up the wrappers from the protein bars we had eaten. Spock put his communicator back on his belt and started folding up the blanket. We secured the survival kit and went to stand in our positions to get ready to be beamed up.

 

I thought for sure Spock would take out his communicator and signal us aboard, but he turned to me instead.

 

“Leonard before we return to the ship may I ask you something?” he said as he stepped closer to me.

 

“Sure Spock, what is it?” I asked not thinking too much of it.

 

He stepped within inches of me and looked me square in the eye.

 

“Could I kiss you” he asked in a quick whisper.

 

His question caught me off guard but the longer I looked into those dark brown eyes the more relaxed I felt.

 

“Yes” I said eagerly as I brought my hands up to his shoulders.

 

He put his hands on the small of my back and pressed me up against his chest. My arms wrapped around his neck…and we kissed. Our lips pressed together and I started sucking on that delectable lower lip of his. He moaned and tilted his head to deepen the kiss.

 

It was a rather tamed kiss compared to most I’ve had, but when we pulled apart my hands were shaking, my knees were weak, and my vision was fuzzy.

 

When my vision finally cleared up I could see that Spock looked about as dazed as I felt.

 

“Wow” I huffed out as I tried to catch my breath.

 

Not the greatest thing in the world that I could say, but my blood wasn’t exactly rushing up to my head right now.

 

Spock put his hands on my hips and took a step back.

 

“We need to return to the ship now, but I would like to continue this at a more convenient time” he said as we released each other.

 

“All right” I said breathlessly.

 

We both got back in place and Spock ordered us to be beamed up.

 

<><><><><> 

 

When we beamed back aboard the glow I was feeling from kissing Spock faded away when I saw Scotty and Jim standing in front of us.

 

“3,452 to 1, eh Spock?” I said turning to him.

 

“Given the mix-up that happened today, I must rectify my calculations from 3,452 to 1 down to 3,450 to 1” he said totally unfazed by my sarcasm.

 

I sighed heavily and rolled my eyes as I went over to the intercom.

 

“McCoy to sickbay” I said leaning against the wall.

 

“Sickbay, Nurse Chapel here. How was your trip to the surface Doctor?” Christine asked cheerfully – which grated my nerves to no end.

 

It wasn’t so much that I minded her cheerfulness so much as I was concentrating on being mad at Jim and Scotty, and she was distracting me from that.

 

“It was fine Christine” I said, pulling back on my anger until I was finished giving orders “have these containers of Osera plants transported down to the lab and processed into Oseraan serum, and tell them I want that serum before we reach orbit over Alpha Proxima II, understand?” I said in that tone that told her I wasn’t going to be taking any excuses from the lab technicians.

 

“Yes Doctor, right away” she said in that reassuring voice that meant she understood what I was saying and she’d take care of everything.

 

“Thank you” I said with a bit of a bite that I knew wouldn’t faze her in the least as I turned off the intercom.

 

I swear nothing ever fazed that women…except where Spock was concerned – speaking of which, we still have a date tonight don’t we?

 

“How did it go down there Bones?” Jim said pleasantly, but his posture told me he was ready for any outbursts I might have waiting for him.

 

Well he wasn’t getting any outburst this time…not when I had better things to do.

 

“We trimmed plants and ate protein bars” I said as I crossed my arms “and Spock broke one of the pruning shears.”

 

I probably shouldn’t have ratted Spock out like that, but the surprised look on Jim’s face was priceless.

 

“He what?” he asked not entirely sure he heard me right.

 

“You don’t mean the shears made out of steel?” Scotty said with a disbelieving look on his face.

 

“Spock is that true?” Jim asked turning to Spock.

 

“I’m afraid so Captain” he said coming over to stand in front of Jim.

 

“I was trimming some of the Osera plants and then it ‘gave out’ I believe is how the crewmen put it when their tools are damaged” he said as he glanced over at me.

 

I gave him a devilish grin and winked at him.

 

It was a risky move, but with Jim and Scotty looking at Spock I just couldn’t resist.

 

Spock’s eyebrow went up and his chest swelled with air, but I don’t think either of them paid him much mind.

 

“If you gentleman will excuse me, I wish to freshen up before my date tonight” Spock said as he bowed his head and then left the transporter room.

 

“Well, guess I’ll make myself scarce too” I said as I went over to the doors, but before I left I turned around and looked at them one last time “I have some revenge to plot out” and with that bit of information left for them to chew on (and hopefully to distract them from my whereabouts) I left for my cabin to get ready for tonight.

 

<><><><><> 

 

It was 16:45 when I left my cabin to go meet Spock. I wasn’t wearing anything special, just some black pants and a red button down shirt over a black undershirt.

 

I went to Spock’s door and waited for him to call me in. When I stepped inside I was greeted with a lovely sight…

 

Spock had set up dinner for us and was lighting candles again. He was wearing a white robe that made him look foreign and exotic, and the incense he was burning perfumed the room with an otherworldly spice. For a moment I felt as though I was on another planet instead of a Starship.

 

Spock clasped his hands together and the sleeves of his robe fell down to hide his hands completely. When he walked over to me he looked the definition of elegance.

 

“I do not believe I have ever seen you out of uniform before” he said as his eyes traveled up and down my body “I shall have to make it a point to see you out of uniform more often.”

 

“Be careful now Spock, a person with a dirty mind like mine might think you were talking about getting me out of my clothes all together” I said chuckling.

 

He looked at me with such a heated gaze it was like the air around us became charged with electricity. He stepped closer to me and put his hands on my shoulders. I put my hands on his hips, his sturdiness and strength sending a wave of calm straight through me.

 

“For now, your eyes are more than enough to please me” he said in a husky voice as one of his hands caressed my cheek.

 

We both leaned in and kissed again, this time deeply and passionately, each of us holding the other closer and tighter until there wasn’t  enough room between us to fit a piece of paper. When we finally parted we were both gasping for air.

 

“Perhaps we should stay and watch a movie in my quarters for the night” Spock said between breaths.

 

“That sounds perfect” I said feeling a little lightheaded.

 

“We should eat before our food grows cold” he said as he took my hand and led me to the table.

 

“Sure” I said, absently wondering how long it would be before I got to start feasting on more than food in this cabin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the wonderful comments and kudos. They are very appreciated.


	7. Tests

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is roughly based on the episode "Who Mourns for Adonis?" I wanted to show the two of them being able to work and perform well on the ship without their relationship suffering.

I woke up the next morning and something seemed different, then as I opened my eyes and saw the red curtains I remembered…

 

Spock and I curled up together on his bed to watch a movie. The room was warm, my stomach was full and Spock felt as soft and comfortable as his bed, and I just…fell asleep.

 

I sat up to stretch and Spock walked out of the bathroom, dressed in his uniform and ready for duty.

 

“I was just coming to wake you” he said as he came over to sit at the edge of the bed “It’s early enough that you can go back to your cabin and get ready for your shift without anyone seeing you.”

 

“I’m sorry I fell asleep on you like that” I said as I rubbed my eyes and smiled at him sheepishly “literally on you if I remember correctly.”

 

“Do not concern yourself Leonard” he said as he took a hold of my hand “I am not sorry you stayed the night.”

 

God but he knew how to make a man feel alive.

 

I started to lean in to kiss him, but he stopped me by placing his other hand on my shoulder.

 

“Leonard, before we go any further there is something I would like to do.”

 

I looked at him curiously, but I waited for him to finish.

 

“I wish to be tested for all STDs before you and I become any more…intimate than we already are.”

 

It probably wasn’t the best thing to do but I couldn’t help but laugh.

 

“Spock, do you have any idea what the odds of you having an STD are?”

 

“8,027 to 1, but that is not good enough for me, not where your health and safety are concerned” he said in a serious and determined tone.

 

A warmth and heat shot through me, and for the first time in our entire relationship I saw a beauty in his stubbornness.

 

“I’ll tell you what” I said smiling and caressing his cheek with my thumb “I’ll make us an appointment at lunch. I’ll draw some blood from both of us and we’ll both get tested. How does that sound?”

 

“I do not see any reason for you to be tested as well,” I gave him a look that told him this was not up for negotiation “however if that is what you want then that sounds acceptable” he said nodding.

 

I kissed him on the opposite cheek and smiled warmly at him.

 

Spock released me and went over to the door. He looked down one end of the corridor and then the other. He turned to me and beckoned me to come.

 

I got out of bed, slipped on my shoes, and walked past him to leave, my hand encircling his hand one last time before I went rushing off to the turbo-lift.

 

<><><><><> 

 

I usually tried not to wear my smock when I could help it. It always made me look boxy, the material didn’t breathe well, and it was always just tight enough in the shoulders that I couldn’t move my arms very freely. But it was the only uniform I had with short sleeves, and since I was getting my blood drawn later that was reason enough to wear it for the day. And since we weren’t doing anything but scanning a few uninhabited planets it wasn’t going to matter which uniform I wore.

 

It was almost an hour before Spock was due to come down to see me, but I thought I’d go up to the bridge anyway. That way I could see him for a few minutes and see if Jim wanted lunch – after all if I don’t spend some time with him and Spock doesn’t spend any time with him after his shifts Jim’s liable to start asking questions and start to put two and two together.

 

So I stepped out on to the bridge.

 

“Bones, how are you feeling today?” Jim asked as I came to stand beside him.

 

“Not too bad. I have an appointment at lunch but it shouldn’t take too long and I was wondering if you wanted to grab some lunch afterward?”

 

“That depends, is this lunch a part of your scheme to get back at me for what happened with the transporter yesterday?” he asked studying me carefully.

 

“Nope” I answered honestly.

 

“In that case I accept” he said smiling.

 

“Captain?”

 

Jim and I turned and standing there waiting with a report was Lt. Palamas.

 

She was a cute little thing with blonde hair and blue eyes, much too young for my tastes to be interested in her, even when I wasn’t dating Spock, but there was something about her that always seemed to perk up my parental instincts.

 

Speaking of perked up, Lt. Palamas was usually a fairly perky girl. She wasn’t as animated as most, but her eyes were usually brighter than they looked now.

 

“Here’s the report on Pollux V Captain” he said sounding a little sluggish. “This entire system has been almost the same, a strange lack of intelligent life on the planet. It bugs the percentages.”

 

“It bugs the…” Jim stopped short of questioning her wording, but it sounded strange to me too. “Well, carry out the standard procedures on Pollux IV” he said as he handed back the report.

 

“Aye sir” she said as she took the report and started walking off.

 

“Lieutenant,” I said causing her to pause “You look a bit tired this morning” I said in an attempt to see if anything was wrong with her.

 

“Well, I was up all night working on this report sir” she explained, and I was relieved to know it wasn’t anything serious.

 

“Well in that case there’s nothing like a wee bit of coffee to get you back in shape” Scotty said as he moved closer to her “Join me, Carolyn?”

 

Ah Oh.

 

“All right Scotty, just let me give this to Mr. Spock.”

 

“Bones, could you get that excited over a cup of coffee?” Jim asked as he glanced over at Scotty.

 

Only if Spock asked me out for coffee at a café in Paris.

 

“Even from here I can tell his pulse rate’s up” I said more seriously than sarcastically.

 

“Gentlemen” Scotty said in an overly affronted way before turning his attention back to Lt. Palamas “come along, my dear” he said with a big goofy smile on his face.

 

“I’m not sure I like that Jim” I said looking over at the two of them as they talked with Uhura.

 

“Why Bones? Scotty’s a good man” he said turning to me.

 

“And he thinks he’s the right man for her, but I’m not sure _she_ thinks he’s the right man. On the other hand she’s a woman…all woman. One day she’ll find the right man, and off she’ll go out of the service.”

 

I’ve know a lot of women in the Fleet who went on to get married and some who’ve gone on to have families while still staying in the service, but Lt. Palamas didn’t strike me as that type.

 

She was ‘all woman’ in the fact that she wanted to settle down, get married, have children, put down roots on some planet, and call life good. Scotty…Scotty would have to be dragged off of this ship feet first before he stayed stationary for long.

 

“Mmhmm” Jim said looking over at the two of them, he knew what I meant too and I think he was starting to see my concern. “It’s not so much as I’m losing an officer as I’m gaining…” I think he was trying to come up with a quip to lighten the mood but fell short “actually I’m losing an officer” he said as he thought it over more carefully.

 

“Now entering standard orbit around Pollux IV, Sir” Chekov said breaking us from our conversation.

 

“Cartographic detail stand-by” Jim ordered.

 

“Standing by Sir” Uhura said as I walked past her to go towards the lift.

 

I figured I’d just get a good look at the planet and go back down to sickbay.

 

“Preliminary report Mr. Spock” Jim both asked and ordered.

 

Now that was a nice treat. Standing there looking at a calm, peaceful planet while Spock’s calm and peaceful voice read about its facts and figures.

 

Once Spock was finished speaking I thought I’d head down to sickbay, but then something strange came on the screen.

 

“What in the name of…”I began but I became too speechless to finish.

 

“Analysis Mr. Spock” Jim ordered and I stood by waiting for the answer.

 

“Momentarily” Spock said as he bent over his scanners.

 

If what I was seeing wasn’t so unbelievable my eyes would have been glued to him instead of what was on the screen.

 

“Am I…seeing things?” Chekov asked to no one in particular.

 

“Not unless I am too” Sulu said before turning to Jim “Captain, that thing’s a giant hand.”

 

A giant hand coming straight for us…

 

“What is it Mr. Spock?” Jim asked as he stood “Is it uh…a hand?”

 

“Negative Captain, not living tissue” he answered.

 

“A trick then? A projection?” Jim asked trying to make sense of what we were all seeing.

 

“Not a projection Sir. A field of energy” Spock explained.

 

Okay a field of energy coming straight for us…

 

“Hard about” Jim ordered.

 

“Hard about” Sulu repeated and complied. “We can’t seem to get away from it.”

 

That isn’t what I wanted to hear from him.

 

“It’s almost as if it means to grab us” Uhura said as she watched the hand…I mean field of energy following us.

 

“Reverse all engines” Jim ordered.

 

“All engines reversed” Sulu said.

 

And that’s when we all fell forward. I grabbed the rail as hard as I could and then we slowly became level again. I helped one of the crewmen up and walked closer to the screen, still not completely believing any of this.

 

“We’re dead still Captain” Sulu said, and boy did I wish he wouldn’t use phrases like that at a time like this. “Helm doesn’t answer” he said pushing every control sequence he knew “we can’t move.”

 

Full of all kinds of good news today wasn’t he?

 

<><><><><> 

 

The bridge was bustling with activity. Jim ordering Uhura to relay our position and circumstances to Starfleet, then ordering Sulu to try and rock the ship forward and backward to see if that would free us.

 

When Uhura started giving the damage report I knew Jim would want my report next so I scanned over my computer on last time before I turned around.

 

“Sickbay reports five minor injuries all being treated Sir” I said as I clasped my hands behind my back and waited for further orders.

 

“Thank you” Jim said once Uhura and I had finished. “Mr. Sulu?” he asked turning his complete attention to getting us freed.

 

“Applying thrust sir” Sulu said as he pushed the last button to activate the computers orders.

 

The ship barely budged.

 

“No results Captain” Sulu said as he stopped the engines “we’re stuck tight.”

 

“Mr. Spock status” Jim said going over to Spock’s station.

 

“The ship is almost completely encircled by the field” he responded. “It resembles a conventional force field, but on unusual wavelengths. Despite its appearance, that of a human appendage, it is definitely not living tissue. It is energy.”

 

“Thank you” Jim said as he turned once again to the screen. “Mr. Sulu…our forward tractor beams – adjust to repel.”

 

Now there’s an idea, fight fire with fire…or energy with energy as the case may be.

 

“Aye, aye Sir” Sulu replied “Standing by” he said once he made the switch.

 

“Activate” Jim ordered.

 

We lurched a little, but nothing happened.

 

“Ineffective Captain,” Sulu said as he turned off the beam “there doesn’t seem to be anything to push against.”

 

“Captain, a most curious development on scanner 57” Spock said from his station.

 

“Let’s all take a look at it Mr. Spock” Jim said as he went back to his captain’s chair.

 

“Screen on Captain” Spock said as I walked over to stand next to Jim.

 

A second later Spock was standing on the other side of Jim, and a second after that the image of a man’s head came on the screen.

 

“Activity on hailing channel 3, Sir” Uhura said from behind us.

 

“Put it on audio Lieutenant” Jim said, his eyes never leaving the screen.

 

When Uhura turned the audio on we all heard the voice that went with the head that was floating on our screen.

 

“The eons have passed,” he said “and what has been written has come about. You are most welcome my beloved children. Your places await you.”

 

“Response frequencies Lieutenant” Jim said as he rubbed his chin, no doubt calculating his next move.

 

“Calculated, channel open sir” Uhura responded.

 

“You have left your plains and valleys” said the mysterious image “and made this bold venture. So it was in the beginning. You have made me proud. Now you can rest” he said cryptically.

 

“This is Captain James T. Kirk, commanding the USS _Enterprise_. Please identify yourself” Jim said in a diplomatic voice.

 

“We shall remember together. We shall drink the sacramental wine. There shall be the music of the pipes. The long wait has ended” our captor said with an odd look on his face that was both content and pleased.

 

“Are you responsible for stopping my ship?” Jim asked.

 

“Yes, I caused the wind to withdraw from your sails.”

 

“Give it back, then we’ll talk” Jim said sternly.

 

“It has been 5,000 years. Have you learned no patience in that time?”

 

“I don’t know who or what you are, but I must warn you we have the power to defend ourselves. If you value your safety release this ship” Jim said even more sternly.

 

“You have the same fire. How like your fathers you are – Agamemnon, Hector, Odysseus” the man said not sounding too concerned with Jim’s demands.

 

“Never mind the history lesson, release the ship!” Jim said as he slowly became angrier.

 

“You will obey me, lest I close my hand…thus” our captor said finally getting angry himself.

 

“External pressure building up Captain” Scotty said from his station “800 GSC and climbing” he informed us.

 

“Compensate” Jim ordered, his voice back to normal now.

 

“1,000 GSC and climbing” Scotty said as I turned to him.

 

Suddenly my ears popped and my head began to feel like a vice was being tightened on it.

 

I tried rubbing my head and eyes to relieve the pressure, but it didn’t work.

 

Uhura yelped in pain and Scotty said the pressure was becoming critical, but everything sounded muffled because of my ears.

 

“All right whatever you’re doing, turn it off!” Jim yelled. “You win!”

 

And with that the pressure was gone, and my head and ears returned to normal.

 

“Pressure’s gone Captain, space normal on hull” Scotty said and you could almost hear the sighs of relief all over the ship.

 

“That was your first lesson. Remember it!” our captor warned “Captain Kirk, I invite you and your officers to join me” he said more as an order than an invitation. “But do not bring that one, the one with the pointed ears.”

 

We all instinctively turned towards Spock, and he clasped his hands behind his back.

 

“He is much like Pan, and Pan always bored me” our captor went on “No sad faces, this is a time to rejoice, not to fear. You are returning home. Let your hearts prepare to sing” he said before his face vanished from the screen.

 

“Let’s go Bones” Jim said as he got up and stood behind his chair “you in good voice?”

 

“Sure it’s wise Jim?” I asked sensing his nervousness.

 

“If we don’t accept his invitation we’ll have a crushed eggshell where this ship used to be.”

 

It was then that he turned to Spock and leaned on the back of his chair.

 

“Verbose, isn’t he?” Spock said more as a comment than a question.

 

“Insulted Spock?” Jim asked and even though he wasn’t facing me I could hear the small smile in his voice.

 

Jim would never admit it but he liked to tease Spock almost as much as I did.

 

“Insults are effective only when emotion is present” Spock retorted.

 

And besides if I can’t get him to feel insulted no one could.

 

“Good,” Jim said as he became serious again “we’ll tackle him together. We already know the questions. You’re the best man to find the answers.”

 

And with that Jim and I went to the turbo-lift.

 

I would have given anything to give Spock one reassuring touch or a quick promising glance before I left. But he wouldn’t want anything like that while he was on duty and he especially wouldn’t want that on the bridge. So I kept my eyes fixed forward and my hands down as I went to my cabin to change into a uniform I could move around in, and got my gear together to beam down to the planet.

 

<><><><><> 

 

That encounter with Apollo is defiantly going down as one of the strangest missions I’ve ever been on, but it was over now. Lt. Palamas was resting in sickbay and I had just finished my report.

 

All-in-all I was rather pleased with myself. My mind was on my work and not on Spock, not too much anyway. I acted normally, or at least as normally as I usually do on a mission, and when I came back my mind was on fixing up Lt. Palamas not running off to see Spock the second I stepped off the transporter. The knowledge that he and I could be together without it interfering with our work gave me a sense of relief and comfort…but it also kind of scared me. It made me feel like this was all happening so fast and my track record with relationships wasn’t very good to say the least…what if this ended like all the others?

 

Spock walked in just then and suddenly all the weight and tension lifted off of me. The doors closed and only then did I smile.

 

“Hi there beautiful” I said in a relaxed tone.

 

“Hello” he said nearly purring.

 

That was the only thing he said, but when he came over, placed his hand over mine and sighed heavily as he closed his eyes…he didn’t have to say anything.

 

I raised my mouth up towards him and he obliged me with a kiss. When our lips parted he rested his forehead against mine.

 

“I rescheduled my appointment for this time, I hope you don’t mind” he said pulling me up to my feet for a quick embrace.

 

“I don’t mind” I said stroking his cheek “let’s get going before I get too distracted” I said leading him over to the counter where I kept a clean set of hypos.

 

“Take off your tunic” I said as I got a hypo ready.

 

I froze when I turned around to look at him. I had only ever seen him in his uniform, dressed in long flowing robes, and this…his form fitting black undershirt.

 

(The bio-beds and scanners did most of the examining so I never really had to see my patients naked unless it was for surgery…and the only time I operated on Spock it was along his back, and I was a little too busy operating to really admire him.)

 

I had seen him in that shirt many times for exams, but this was the first time I could look at him more closely without being worried about being found out. The first time I didn’t have to advert my eyes. The first time I could allow my body to react to the sight without being embarrassed.

 

“Does my appearance please you Leonard?” he asked as his cheeks flushed green.

 

“Ever since the day I laid eyes on you” I answered honestly.

 

“Shouldn’t you also take off your tunic, if you are planning on drawing blood yourself?” he asked as he looked down at my chest and arms.

 

His eyes looked desperately intrigued to see what was under my tunic, and there was no way I was going to deny him.

 

With shaking hands I took my tunic off leaving me in my black undershirt just like him. It was rather amazing, I was standing there fully clothed and his eyes were roaming around my body as if I wasn’t wearing a thing. It made me vibrate all over.

 

My shaking hand went and took a hold of one of the hypos, and instantly my hand stopped shaking.

 

Nice thing about all those years of medical training, I pick up a medical tool and I’m steady as a rock.

 

“I cannot understand it. It is simply unfathomable” he said looking up at my face again.

 

“What is?” I asked as I held out my hand waiting for him to place his arm in front of me.

 

“How you were available for me to pursue” he said as he laid his forearm in my hand.

 

I found a good vein and pressed the hypo down.

 

“I’m not an easy man to get along with, you should know that better than anyone” I said as the sample tube started to fill up with his green blood. “I can’t seem to find anyone who will put up with me for long…I can’t find anyone stubborn enough and thick headed enough to stick with me” I said bitterly as the feelings of remorse and regret came with the memories of my past lovers.

 

The sample tube filled up and I took the hypo away from his arm. I was about to release him when he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around my waist.

 

“If it is stubbornness and tenacity you need in a mate, I can assure you I have an endless abundance to offer you” he said before pulling me into the most searing and consuming kiss I ever experienced in my life.

 

When he pulled away from me we were panting and our chests were rising and falling on top of each other.

 

“What about you Leonard?” he asked as he rested his forehead against mine “are you tenacious enough to continue with me?” he asked, his eyes more vulnerable than I had ever seen them.

 

And just like that he touched a part of me that I had walled off ever since I caught my ex-wife cheating on me. All the pestering ‘what-if’ questions were silenced and I felt a reassurance that I hadn’t felt about a new relationship in years.

 

I wanted to tell him how deeply he had touched me in a deeply profound and romantic way…but when I felt the tension in his chest and shoulders I decided it was best to say it another way.

 

“Spock, I’m twice as resilient as you and ten times as stubborn. If you think you’re man enough to keep up this relationship with me then I’m more than man enough for you.”

 

Spock leaned back, his eyes shifting quickly from delight to hungry exploration as he stared at my chest, arms and neck. His eyes came back up to my eyes and one of his hands moved from my waist down to my hip.

 

“Yes, you are more than man enough for me aren’t you?” he said as his hand slid up and down my hip, lazily stroking me as his gaze moved down to my lips.

 

“Spock…are you planning on having any kind of sex with me before your test results come in?” I asked as I stared at that long tempting neck of his.

 

His hand stilled and his face became more sober.

 

“No” he said, his voice sounding regretful, but his eyes were resolute.

 

“Then I suggest you step back and put your tunic back on before you start something you can’t finish.”

 

It was killing me to say that, but if this is what he wanted, then I was going to respect that.

 

Spock nodded in agreement, and slowly, very slowly, stepped away.

 

I labeled his sample and drew my blood while he put his tunic back on, and did my best to calm myself down.

 

“When will we be getting the results?” he asked as he stood next to me, his beard suppressant filling my lungs with the lovely scent.

 

“They’ll be low priority, but if nothing comes up we’ll each get the results sometime tomorrow” I said as I put my own tunic back on. “Did you want to do something tonight?” I asked as I put the samples on the processing table.

 

“I am afraid I am conflicted” he said as he put his hands behind his back “I would enjoy spending time with you tonight; however I’m not sure if I am able to sufficiently control myself around you” he said breathlessly.

 

“Well, how about you go down to Jim’s cabin with a chess set and then I’ll come down with some Saurian brandy. He could use some company after that mission, and you and I could spend time together without things…getting out of hand” I said as I gave him a slow once over.

 

He inhaled sharply and his eyes turned a shade darker.

 

“That sounds agreeable. I’ll see you in the Captain’s quarters shortly” he said and quickly left, his back looking stiffer than I’d ever seen it.

 

Once the doors closed I looked down at the samples one last time before going to grab the brandy.

 

We’d have those results by tomorrow, and I began wondering what Spock would have planned for tomorrow night.


	8. Love me in full being

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning: This chapter contains explicit descriptions of sex. Including Oral Sex, Hand Jobs, Alien Genitalia and Alien Semen. If none of this is appealing to you then please do not read this chapter.

From the moment I woke up I was edgy, I was excited, I was nervous, and I couldn’t for the life of me get my toes and heels to stop tapping under my desk.

 

My test results came in shortly before lunch, and they said I was clean. I set it up so I wouldn’t receive Spock’s results even though I was his primary care physician, I just had it skip my computer and go straight to his file.

 

I didn’t think it was fair to look at his results when he couldn’t see mine.

 

I tried to stay in my office for the whole day, not only to give Spock time to look over his results, but also because I wasn’t quite sure I’d be able to control myself if I laid eyes on him.

 

Hell the way my blood pressure was rising and falling right now I might very well faint at the sight of him.

 

That was my plan and I was sticking to it…at least I was, until my staff interfered with that plan.

 

“Dr. McCoy,” Christine said walking in with a PADD “could you please take this up to the Captain for his signature?” she asked as she laid it on my desk.

 

“Why? Don’t we have dozens of lieutenants and ensigns to do that sort of thing?” I asked both suspicious and curious as to what this was all about.

 

“Yes, but the Captain is sparring with Mr. Spock in training room six, and after what happened to Ensign Ramirez I couldn’t find anyone to take it to him.”

 

I winced remembering that incident. Poor kid had to be brought back here and treated for a concussion and a sprained wrist.

 

“And since that’s the final medical report for the last mission” she went on “Starfleet wants it relayed to the nearest Starbase in the hour. And since the Captain and Mr. Spock are known for their incredibly long training sessions someone will have to go and interrupt them now.”

 

“And by unanimous decision that someone’s going to be me” I said in a flat voice.

 

“Yes” she said nodding and smiling.

 

I rolled my eyes and sighed heavily as I picked up the PADD and went off to training room six.

 

<><><><><> 

 

The entire way down I prayed that Spock was wearing some loose workout clothes instead of those skin tight red leggings. And I prayed even harder that he wasn’t shirtless…

 

Well apparently the answer to both those prayers was a resounding no.

 

I stepped into the training room and Jim and Spock were sparring with those staffs that had the pads on the ends, and Spock was barefoot and shirtless wearing those tight leggings that left nothing to the imagination. And there was a delicious sheen of sweat on his skin that made him look shiny and slippery.

 

Jim was probably in the same condition, but at that moment I only had eyes for Spock.

 

The minute the doors closed behind me Spock disarmed Jim of his staff and knocked the feet out from under him, sending Jim down to the matted floor. Spock stepped back, placed one padded end of the staff on the floor, and placed one hand on his hip.

 

He looked so strong and victorious.

 

He looked up and spotted me, then his chest that was gasping for air stilled and his pupils dilated, making him look like a cat ready to pounce.

 

Hearing Jim’s groans as he stood back up broke the spell and I was back to normal.

 

“You all right there Jim?” I asked as I walked to the center of the mat where he was standing.

 

“I’ll let you know in a minute” he said as he stretched his back.

 

When I didn’t see him spasm or double over I knew he was fine.

 

“Mind if I interrupt you two long enough to get this signed?” I asked as I handed him the PADD.

 

“That depends, what is it?” he asked as he took it from me.

 

“Final medical report on Apollo for Starfleet” I said looking Spock over the entire time, my own personal Adonis sculpture come to life.

 

“You have any plans for tonight Bones?” he asked as he handed back the report.

 

“Yeah, I’ve got plans tonight” I said smiling so big it hurt.

 

“How ‘bout you Spock, any plans?” Jim asked as he went over to get a water bottle sitting by the far wall.

 

“I have a date tonight Sir” Spock said as he looked me over from head to toe.

 

I get the feeling someone got a clean bill of health.

 

“You going to be okay by yourself tonight Jim?” I asked finally tearing my gaze away from Spock.

 

“Actually” he said as he put the cap back on his water “I had some plans myself” he said as he walked over to join us.

 

“Oh?” I prompted.

 

“A couple of the computer technicians from deck 5 are getting together in one of the holodecks to have a volley ball tournament. And they’ve graciously asked me to be the referee” he said, and judging by the smile on his face I’d guess that all the technicians were of the female persuasion.

 

“You poor thing” I said sarcastically.

 

“Yes, the burdens of honesty and integrity are a heavy load to bear, but once in a while I get decently rewarded for it” he said laughing as he picked up his training staff again.

 

“Well Spock, now that his head’s swelled up to twice its size, you’ll have an even easier time hitting him in the next round” I said as Jim and I had a good laugh.

 

“I’ll see you two later” I said as I took my report and walked out, my mind totally absorbed with thoughts and possibilities for tonight.

 

<><><><><> 

 

I wasn’t sure how but I made it to the end of the day without having the anticipation kill me, and I was able to walk down to Spock’s cabin instead of running at a dead sprint like I wanted to.

 

I stepped inside and when I laid eyes on Spock the air rushed out of me. He had candles lit all over and the room smelled of a flowery incense I had never smelled before, it sent a fresh spring scent all through the room.

 

Spock stood in front of his desk wearing a long flowing black robe, his feet bear and his cheeks flushed.

 

He walked over to me up to within inches of me. He reached past me and I heard him locking the door behind me. Slowly his hand came off the controls and came up to rest on my cheek.

 

And just like that I broke down and started to devour his mouth. My hands kneading and massaging his strong, sturdy shoulders, his hands slid down my ribs, down to my hips and pulled our groins together until our semi-hard cocks were rolling against each other.

 

We moaned into each other’s mouths and undulated against each other until I was desperate to get us out of these clothes. I pulled off his mouth and started to unfastened the clasps on his robe. Suddenly his hands came up to still mine and looked at me nervously.

 

“I…I brought us some food, would you care to sit down?” he asked with a slight tremor in his voice.

 

“I’m not hungry for food” I said as I started nibbling on his neck.

 

“Leonard…I…I think we should sit down and talk” he said as he took a few steps back.

 

“Spock, what is it?” I asked stepping closer to him and placing his hands in mine.

 

“I…I have some concerns” he said, his eyes looking at our hands instead of up at me.

 

“What’s on your mind?” I asked gently.

 

“I…I have never had a male lover before. I’m…I’m afraid I have no idea how to please you” he said as his eyes slowly moved from our hands up to my eyes, his cheeks flushing green.

 

“Oh…you don’t need to worry about that Spock” I said smiling “all you do is start with your hands” I said demonstrating as I slid my fingers along his jaw. “Taking one inch at a time” I said as my fingers glided down his neck “until you’re ready for your mouth to start exploring” I said before I started lapping at his pulse point.

 

My hand slid from his neck, along his shoulder to that first clasp again…but his hand stopped me again.

 

“Spock?” I said getting worried now.

 

“There is just…one more thing you should be aware of.”

 

Okay, that sounded like a lot of concern for one Vulcan.

 

“I…I do not look like you.”

 

“No you don’t” I said smiling as I looked him over, my mouth watering at the thought of all that flesh being spread out for my tongue to taste.

 

“I mean…my genitalia. It is not the same as yours.”

 

Oh, so that’s what this is about.

 

“Relax Spock” I said soothingly “I’ve studied anatomy my whole life, and I’ve seen just about everything…course right now the only anatomy I care about studying is yours” I said almost purring as I started sucking on the lobe of his ear, and tried to undo the clasp again.

 

Spock took a hold of my hand and stepped away again, only this time it was to lead me over to the bed.

 

Knowing Spock he had every move and position calculated and planned down to the last second, but unfortunately I was going to have to ruin those plans because I just couldn’t wait any longer

 

I pulled him back to me and started kissing him and unclasping his robe before he could change his mind or worry about something else.

 

I got enough clasps undone to get his chest exposed. As I undid the clasps along his torso I took my time to suck and nibble on his collar bones. I would have loved to have taken the time to enjoy those lovely nipples of his, but I was too anxious and eager to get the grand prize to linger anywhere for long.

 

Once his abs were exposed I kissed my way down his chest and down to the band of his underwear, the hairs on his chest and navel tickling my nose and lips as I went.

 

I took the hem of his robe and slid it off his shoulders and arms and pulled his underwear over his jutting cock, down his legs and Spock placed his hands on my shoulders for balance as he stepped out of his underwear.

 

I tossed the fabric off to the side and sat back to admire the long, lovely body in front of me. The muscles and flesh were tempting, but his cock had all my attention for the moment.

 

He had dark thick hair surrounding eight inches of uncut pulsing green flesh. He looked nearly the same as any other human except for the fact that he had two glands instead of one, and my tongue was dying to slid all over those ridges.

 

I reached out my hand and took a hold of the base. He gasped and leaned over to brace himself against the wall. He turned slightly so his back was flush against the wall and the muscles in his legs began to quiver. I crawled over to kneel in front of him, took a hold of the base again and laid a steady hand on his hip.

 

He gasped again and his head fell back against the wall as his hands grabbed my shoulders again.

 

I started lapping at the slit. He stifled a moan and his muscles contracted. Then I took my tongue and started racing laps around his double glands, all the while wondering what those ridges would feel like gliding along my prostate.

 

It had been a while since I’d done this so I just took the tip into my mouth while my hand pumped him at the base, which seemed to thrill him to no end if those sounds were anything to go by.

 

The longer I licked, sucked and pumped that beautiful cock the harder I felt his hips resisting the urge to move. Using the hand I had on his hip I coaxed him into rolling his hips in small circles. Once his hips had their rhythm I let go of his hip and started to roll his balls in my hand.

 

My jaw had relaxed enough that I was taking half of him into my mouth and my hands were working on steadily massaging his base and balls while Spock stroked my shoulders and hair with his.

 

I was just about to pick up the pace when Spock took a hold of my shoulders and pushed me back, causing his cock to come out of my mouth with a pop.

 

“Bed” he said in a husky voice thick with passion.

 

I got up off the floor – a little more stiffly then I remember from the last time I did this – and as soon as we were face to face again he pulled me close and started plundering my mouth.

 

He stepped us back until the back of my knees hit the bed and we fell back on the bed. Eventually he left my mouth and went down to my feet to take off my boots and socks. Then he undid my pants and took both them and my underwear off at the same time, my cock popping out and dripping with fluids as he did.

 

Spock put his hands on my knees and slowly slid them up my thighs until he was holding my hips. And then he licked one long line from the bottom of my balls all the way up to the tip before he started to suck the tip into his mouth. My whole body shuttered as I gripped the sheets and my head rolled back into the bed.

 

He took one, then two then three of my seven inches into his mouth, and by then I was feeling a familiar tightening in my balls.

 

“Spock…Spock I’m gonna cum” I said between moans.

 

Spock released my cock and I nearly cried out in protest until he stripped my tunic and undershirt off me and tossed them to the floor. He crawled on top of me until our cocks pressed together and he started to suck on one of my nipples. Then he took my cock in his hand and started pumping.

 

I was so close.

 

I started pumping his cock with one hand while my other hand went up to his ear and circled the tip with my fingers.

 

Spock moaned around my nipple and pumped harder. I couldn’t take any more after that and I came all over Spock’s hand and my stomach, my spine tingling with the satisfaction of release.

 

I caught my breath and started to pump him again. Spock hadn’t cum yet, but judging by that contorted look on his face he was close.

 

Sure enough a few strokes later and his forehead fell against my shoulder as he came all over my stomach and hand, my free hand sliding up and down the length of his spine enjoying the feel of shivers and goosebumps before his muscles finally relaxed.

 

Spock’s breath fell hot and heavy against my chest until he lifted his head and kissed me.

 

Eventually he shifted and our lips parted as he stood up from the bed.

 

“Wait here” he said before going off to the bathroom.

 

I laid there smiling, feeling warm and relaxed as I stretched out on Spock’s bed, looking at the blue translucent Vulcan semen that coated my hand, feeling a sense of triumph and accomplishment as I did.

 

Spock came out a minute later carrying a wet washcloth. He sat down on the bed and started cleaning my hand and stomach. I drew circles on his knee and thigh as he worked causing him to breathe heavily.

 

“Are you hungry now?” he asked as he circled my abs and chest with the warm cloth.

 

“I could definitely go for seconds” I said as I slid my fingers up his inner thigh.

 

Spock gasped and grabbed my hand and brought it up to his lips.

 

“I meant for food ashal-veh” he said as he kissed my pulse point.

 

“Ashal-veh?” I asked smiling up at him.

 

“It is Vulcan, it means darling” he said as he leaned over me, his eyes looking warm and soft.

 

“Mmm, I like that” I said happily as I drew him down for a kiss.

 

“Wait here” he said as he pulled back, kissed me one last time and then he walked off to the bathroom with the now dirty washcloth – which treated me to a really fine view of that ass of his.

 

He came back out and grabbed a tray of food before he came back to the bed.

 

We spent the rest of the night munching on cheese, crackers, nuts and berries, and sipping wine until I started yawning.

 

I would have loved to stay, but I wouldn’t have gotten any sleep if I did…and since it wouldn’t look good for the two of us to go into work with dark circles under our eyes I got dressed and headed back to my quarters, hoping we would meet up again real soon for another passionate night in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I took this title from a quote from Elizabeth Barrett Browning:
> 
> "Love me sweet  
> with all thou art  
> feeling, thinking, seeing;  
> Love me in the lightest part,  
> Love me in full being"


	9. Maladies and Remedies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Well I promised a series of firsts and I like to think of this as the first time Spock actually wanted McCoy to help heal him...and on the flip side of the coin, this is the first time McCoy is happy to help heal Spock
> 
> Warning: This chapter does get explicit towards the end including - fingering, 69 positions, and other fun things like that.

The next day was rather nice. Routine work left me plenty of time to remember last night and dream about tonight. No major emergencies or injuries to worry about…until Spock came walking in covered in blue spots.

 

“Mr. Spock what happened?!” Christine asked as she set down a tray and rushed over to him.

 

“I was helping Mr. Sulu in the botany lab with some Marlonian roses when I was scratched by one of the thorns. I believe I am having an allergic reaction to the flowers sap” he explained as he placed his hands behind his back.

 

“Christine, go get me a hypo of Cerijen” I said as I pulled out my medical scanner.

 

“Yes Doctor” she said as she turned to go to the supply room.

 

“How do you feel Spock?” I asked as I scanned him.

 

“I am a Vulcan and in complete control of my emotions, therefore I do not feel anything” he replied almost automatically.

 

“I meant physically ya smart ass” I said nearly growling.

 

“Oh…honestly I feel fine. If Mr. Sulu had not noticed the spots forming on my face I would not have even known I was having a reaction.”

 

“Well that’s good,” I said in relief “and my scanners seem to agree with you.”

 

Christine walked back in just then and handed me a hypo. I gave him the shot and scanned him again to make sure he didn’t have a bad reaction to the medicine.

 

“All right Spock you check out fine, other than the spots on your skin, but hopefully that will only last a couple of days” I said as I looked over my scans.

 

“Is there anything you can do to expedite the removal of the blemishes Doctor? I am due to go with the landing party to Aldebaran III and do not wish to cause the ambassador and his family any alarm at my appearance.”

 

“…Uh…let me think…There is something that’s worked for the Rigelians when they get skin discoloration. We could do a test on your arm and see if that works” I suggested.

 

“That sounds agreeable” he said nodding in consent.

 

“All right, Christine” I said turning to her “go down to the lab, get me a sample of Trylon lotion and a hand held therapy light.”

 

“Yes Doctor” she said as she went off to the lab, leaving me and Spock alone for a few minutes.

 

“I hope you didn’t do all this on purpose just to see me” I said in a teasing tone.

 

“Of course not Leonard, I would never do such a thing” he said almost sounding affronted.

 

I would have loved to pull him in for a quick kiss, but Christine walked in just then and handed me the lotion and light.

 

“Thank you Christine” I said setting the light on the exam table. “Roll up your sleeve Spock and we’ll get started.”

 

He rolled up his sleeve while I put a small amount of lotion on my fingers tips, and when he was ready I rubbed some on his arm.

 

“Feel any itching, burning or tingling?” I asked as I finished rubbing in the lotion.

 

“None” he replied.

 

The therapy light was a round, palm sized light with a strap on the back. It could give off any kind of light you could imagine. I put the strap over my hand and programed a purple light to shine.

 

“We should know if this is working in a few minutes” I said as I held the light over the spot with the lotion.

 

“Have you ever done this before Doctor?” Spock asked curiously.

 

“Only on a Rigelian” I said in a professional, slightly distracted voice…causing Spock’s eyebrow to slide up and his eyes to give me a dubious stare. “It seems to be working though” I said as I pulled the light back, and sure enough some of the spots had faded.

 

“How does your skin feel?” I asked as I rubbed the area of skin gently.

 

“A little dry.”

 

“Mmm…how wide spread are the spots?” I asked as I looked over his face and arms.

 

“I’m not certain.”

 

“May I?” I asked as I pointed to his mid-section.

 

“Of course” he said as he held his arms out of the way.

 

The one problem with medical scanners, they have a hard time recording skin discoloration, and they were especially ineffective at reading Spock’s skin.

 

I lifted up his clothes by his ribs. I looked at his back and stomach, both of which looked like they were covered in blue spots.

 

“Can you lift up the leg of your pants real quick?” I asked as I rolled down his tunic.

 

He rolled up his pant leg to show his knee and part of his thigh, and there were spots on the front and back of his leg.

 

“Well looks like you have total coverage Spock; you can roll your pants down now. Do you just want to take care of your hands and face, or do you want to take care of all your skin at once?” I asked as he stood up.

 

“Would it be inconvenient to do my whole body at once?”

 

“No, it’d take the same amount of time either way” I explained.

 

“Then I believe I would prefer to have the full body treatment” he said placing his hands behind his back.

 

“All right then, Christine, I’ll need two of those light therapy blankets from the rehab rooms, a large bottle of Trylon lotion, and…why don’t you get a bottle of that Olma oil, a few drops of that should make his skin baby soft.”

 

‘Great image to torture yourself with McCoy’ I thought agitatedly.

 

“Right away Doctor” she said as she rushed off to get the supplies.

 

Spock and I were left alone again, with Spock’s gaze drifting from my eyes to my legs.

 

“See something you like Spock?” I asked in a soft whisper.

 

“Indeed I do” he said in a low, husky voice.

 

“I rather like what I see too, except…” I was going to say something illicit, but I probably shouldn’t finish a sentence like that with my staff walking around just outside the doors.

 

“The blemishes” Spock said clearly thinking that something as small and insignificant as that was capable of turning me off.

 

But I couldn’t have him thinking that now could I?

 

“Actually, I was going to say except for your clothes” I said nearly purring now.

 

Spock looked at me, his expression changing from one of subtle embarrassment to utter confusion.

 

“After last night I can’t help but think that you have on a few too many layers” I said as my eyes shifted from his chest down to his groin.

 

The soft blush that blossomed on his cheeks was very gratifying and very delicious.

 

“You are welcome to come by my cabin tonight and do something to rectify that” he said in a smooth velvety voice that made my knees feel shaky.

 

“I believe I will” I said breathlessly as my heart raced in my chest.

 

Christine walked in just then, her arms filled to the brim with the items I asked for.

 

“The lotion and oil,” she said as she handed me the bottles “and the blankets. Which exam room would you like them in?” she asked.

 

That’s when an idea occurred to me. 

 

“Uh, Spock, would you like to be treated in an exam room or in your quarters?” I asked turning to him.

 

“I believe it would be preferable to be treated in my quarters if I am allowed a chose” he said after a short pause.

 

“All right then, you take these” I said handing him the bottles “I’ll take this” I said pocketing the hand held therapy light “and these” I said taking the blankets from Christine. “I’m not sure how long this will take Christine, so you hold down the fort until either Dr. Masaki or I come to relieve you” I said as I walked over to the door.

 

“Are you sure you won’t need any assistance Doctor?” she asked hurriedly.

 

“No, I think Spock and I can handle this ourselves” I said blushing when I realized how that sounded. “You enjoy the rest of your evening Miss Chapel” I said rushing out before I said anything incriminating.

 

Spock and I walked to the turbo-lift and went up to his quarters in a comfortable silence, my body shivering with delight at his closeness the entire way.

 

Once his doors were shut and locked I went over to his bed to get the blankets ready.

 

“You strip down and spread the lotion wherever you can, and I’ll help you with all the areas you can’t reach” I said with a lurid grin.

 

“It sounds as though you would rather take care of applying the lotion yourself” he said as he removed his tunic and undershirt.

 

“I would…but then we’d never get to your skin treatment” I said as I laid out one of the blankets on his bed.

 

“I have no doubt” he said as he toed off his boots and unclasped his pants. “In fact I believe if it were up to you we would never leave this cabin” he said taking his pants and underwear off with one motion.

 

“Would that be so bad?” I asked as my mouth began to water at the sight of all that bare skin.

 

“It would decrees our productivity exponentially” he said as he bent over and removed his socks.

 

“Oh, I don’t know, I bet I could be really productive if I was locked in a room with you all day” I said suggestively.

 

“I meant productive professionally not physically” he said flatly as he started rubbing the lotion on his arms.

 

“Well now, if I recall correctly you’ve carried on conversations with me while you did complicated equations in your head, you saying you can’t do the same thing while we’re having sex?” I asked chuckling as I programed the blankets.

 

“No, I cannot” he said seriously as he stepped closer to me. “When I am with you I am thinking of nothing except you.”

 

Good Lord but this man really knew how to make a man feel…well like a man.

 

“Spock, that’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.”

 

In fact between him standing there naked in front of me and saying such sweet things, my cock was beginning to swell.

 

“You better finish putting that lotion on and get under the blankets, or you’ll never be joining the landing party tomorrow” I warned as I zeroed in on his cock.

 

“As you wish” he said as he turned his back to me and made me ache all over at the sight of his ass.

 

God but that man was an expert at torturing me.

 

I had finished programing the blankets so I didn’t have anything to distract me from watching him rub lotion on to the rest of his body.

 

He methodically went from his chest and abs to his sides and hips. He bent over and went from the top of his foot up to his calf and around his thigh…and then he did the same thing to the other leg, my cock pulsing and throbbing from the sight.

 

And when he started spreading the lotion on the perfectly round globes of his ass I nearly fell to my knees.

 

“Leonard…Leonard?” Spock said gently, causing me to snap out of my lust filled haze. “I’m ready for your assistance.”

 

I walked over to him, absent mindedly wondering how I could be this light headed and still be able to walk in a straight line towards him.

 

“Would you get my back for me please” he said as he crossed his arms over his chest to allow me access to his entire back.

 

I took a large amount of lotion in my hands and started rubbing the lotion all along his back, my fingers taking a moment to slide along the curves of his spine, Spock humming in pleasure as I did.

 

I massaged the lotion into his shoulders and neck, and then I got some more lotion to rub into the back of his arms and along the backs of his ears. He gasped when I got to his ears and I would have loved to have sucked on those beautiful ears of his…but I knew that lotion would leave a terrible taste in my mouth so I had to save that impulse for another time.

 

“You’re all set beautiful, just lay back and relax” I told him as I rubbed his shoulders one more time.

 

“Thank you Leonard” he said as he laid down on top of the blanket. “How long do you estimate the treatment to take?” he asked as I laid the other blanket on top of him.

 

“About an hour or so I guess, why?” I asked as I turned on the blankets, a soft purple light glowing along the seams where the blankets met.

 

“You and I are off duty in an hour, would you like to stay for dinner?”

 

“That depends…what did you have planned for after dinner?” I asked provocatively as I took a desk lamp from his shelf, placed it on the side table and replaced the light with the therapy light.

 

“You were saying earlier that I had too many layers on, I believe the reverse is true now” he said watching me carefully.

 

“Do you want to fix that before or after we eat?” I asked with a sly smile.

 

“I would personally like to rectify the discrepancy as soon as possible” he said, his tone and expression were flat but his eyes were fiery and excited.

 

I looked over at the Olma oil and got a wickedly delightful idea.

 

“I’ll tell you what, right after your treatment I’m going to give you a nice surprise, and then we’ll sit down to eat dinner. How does that sound?”

 

“Am I to assume this surprise is sexual in nature?” he asked as his eyes explored my body.

 

“You would assume correctly” I said giving him a devilish smile.

 

“Then your plan sounds quite acceptable.”

 

“Great” I said smiling excitedly. “Now close your eyes” I said as I pointed the light at his face.

 

He closed his eyes and I flicked on the light, bathing his face in the purple light.

 

“You’ll probably have to be like this for the next hour or so would you like me to read you something?” I asked enjoying the peaceful look on his face.

 

“That sounds delightful, thank you. You’ll find a small book collection over near the desk on the far wall.

 

I went over to the shelf and looked through the books.

 

“The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, I haven’t read that in ages” I said as I picked up the book and set a chair next to the bed. “How does ‘The Red-Headed League’ sound?” I asked as I made myself comfortable.

 

“That sounds quite pleasant.”

 

<><><><><>

 

I read him the entire story and at one hour and fifteen minutes I turned off the light on the night stand and saw that the spots on his face were all gone.

 

“Your face and ears look good, let me take a look at the rest of you” I said as I turned the blankets off and pulled back the top one. “Your skins all clear Spock” I told him as he sat up and blinked his eyes open. “How does your skin feel?” I asked as I ran a hand over his arm.

 

“It feels rather dry at the moment” he said as he gingerly moved to set his feet on the floor.

 

“You wait here, I’ll go get your surprise ready” I said as I took the bottle of Olma oil and went to the bathroom.

 

I set the controls on the wall and filled the bath tub full of hot water, and poured in a couple of caps full of oil into the water. I went back out into the room and helped Spock into the tub to make sure he wouldn’t slip.

 

“There you are Spock, make sure you get every inch of skin while you’re in there, including your face, I’ll be right back with some towels” I said as I left him to go out into the bedroom again.

 

I grabbed the towels, took off my clothes, and on a whim dabbed some of his cologne behind my ears.

 

“How are you feeling?” I asked as I walked in and put the towels on the sink.

 

Spock was leaning back, his eyes closed and his features looked relaxed and peaceful, which made me feel happy and satisfied.

 

“I’m doing quite well, however I was under the impression that there would be something a little more intimate involved in your surprise” he said, his eyes still closed.

 

“This intimate enough for you?” I asked as I leaned against the sink in what I hoped was a seductive pose.

 

Spock opened his eyes and his brows shot up to his hair line. He slowly sat up and gazed at me with a devouring look in his eyes as his cock swelled to attention.

 

I smiled as I walked over and sat on the edge of the tub.

 

“You sure you got every inch of skin Spock? I think I see a few you missed” I said as I wrapped my fingers around his cock and gave him a gentle stroke.

 

He gasped nicely and rolled his hips up into my hand.

 

“Maybe I should check to make sure you really got every inch of skin for myself” I said as I slipped into the water and rested on top of him.

 

We kissed each other as I slid along his skin, the oily water making it easy for my hands to slip from one wonderfully delicious body part to another.

 

Spock went to my neck and he inhaled sharply. I froze waiting for his reaction.

 

He grabbed me by the hair, pulled my head back and started to devour my neck. He licked, sucked and nipped at me so much I thought he’d leave marks all over my throat. And the way he was nibbling on my ears was making me writhe.

 

“I take it you don’t mind that I borrowed your cologne” I said breathlessly.

 

He didn’t answer me verbally, but he did start kissing me with a passionate ferocity that I had never experienced before.

 

I took both our cocks in my hand and started pumping them together. I started off slow and gradually sped up as we kissed feverishly. One of Spock’s hands slid down my back and tentatively slid into the crease of my ass to circle a finger around my entrance.

 

Oh, that felt good…I almost couldn’t remember the last time I’d been stretched open to let a man enter me.

 

I arched my back toward his hand to let him know he could have all the access he wanted, but no sooner did the tip of his finger press against my quivering hole when my balls tightened and my hand sped up. My orgasm hit me as a hard and fast surprise a second later.

 

A few pumps later and Spock was gripping my arms as his hips thrust into my hand. He came, moaning and whimpering desperately against my neck as he did.

 

We stayed floating in the warm water, kissing lazily and gently stroking anything and everything we could reach.

 

Sometime later we got out of the tub and dried each other off. I was kissing Spock softly and gently, but he gradually held me more tightly and kissed me more firmly. He took a hold of my ass and started rolling his hips against me, causing my cock to take interest.

 

He took my hand and led me back to the bed; he pushed me gently down to the bed and climbed on top of me for a few passionate kisses. After a few minutes I flipped us over and kissed my way down his chest and abs.

 

“I want you…I want to suck you as you suck me” he said pleading, his voice thick with need.

 

I happily swung around so my legs were on either side of his head and he quickly took me in his mouth. I moaned in delight and started to suck him as deep into my mouth as I could.

 

We were like that for a long time, our tongues dancing and sliding along each other’s cocks as we played with each other’s balls. I felt Spock’s fingers sliding along my hole again and then he released my cock from his mouth.

 

“Leonard, may I penetrate you with my fingers?” he asked sounding both nervous and desperate.

 

I let his cock slip out of my mouth with a pop and rubbed my cheek all along his length.

 

“You go right ahead darlin’. Just be careful, it’s been a really long time for me” I said and then licked all along his length.

 

Spock moaned in a mixture of delight, relief and pleasure that sent a desperate longing all through me to hear it again.

 

I felt him rustling under me, and heard a drawer being opened and closed. When I heard the cap pop open my legs started to twitch in excitement. I tensed when I felt the cold lubricant on my hole, but I gradually relaxed as it warmed against my skin.

 

Spock rubbed along my entrance until I relaxed and then slowly pressed his finger inside up to the first knuckle. I moaned around his cock as he carefully opened me up. Slowly and gently he pressed in further and further until his whole finger was inside me. A few strokes later he found my prostate. He pushed, stroked and thrust against that magical spot inside me until it was nearly torturous.

 

My jaw started getting tired and I was forced to release his cock and I shifted my mouth to his balls.

 

Guess it’s been longer than I thought.

 

He didn’t seem to mind though, and after a few minutes he was sucking on my balls too.

 

Good Lord but that man’s tongue was wonderful. So wonderful in fact that in no time at all I was cumming again. I felt Spock’s legs tensing under me and I quickly released his balls and took the tip of his cock in my mouth. He made the most delicious noises when he came down my throat.

 

As soon as he was finished and I licked him clean I collapsed down on the bed next to him, my body heavy and relaxed with satisfaction and contentment.

 

Spock sat up, my cum dripping on his neck and chest.

 

“I’ll return in a moment ashal-veh” he said before he kissed me and went off to the bathroom to clean up.

 

I sat back and basked in the afterglow as I waited for him. When he came back out he went over to his closet and started putting some clothes on.

 

“I am going to go and get us some dinner, what would you like to eat?” he asked as he unfortunately covered up that beautiful body of his.

 

“Oh, I don’t care, just surprise me” I said as I stretched lazily on his bed.

 

“As you wish ashal-veh” he said as he slipped on some shoes and walked out the door.     

 

<><><><><> 

 

When he came back I reluctantly put on my clothes and sat down to eat…bare skin and hot food didn’t exactly mix.

 

We spent the rest of our time together talking and holding hands as we ate. Spock talked about the things he was expecting to see and do on Aldbaran III, and I talked about what I planned to do to him once he got back.

 

We finished and kissed goodnight, promising to meet up again in his quarters when he came back the next day.

 

I hated to leave him, but knowing I’d see him again the next day made the trip to my empty bed a little more bearable…and thinking about the next night would help the hours pass by more quickly the next day.

 

Especially when I started remembering that amazing tongue of his.


	10. Their First Chess Game

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry despite the title you don't have to know a thing about chess to enjoy this chapter.
> 
> Warning: this chapter is explicit - including blow jobs and alien genitalia.

I was a little disappointed that I couldn’t beam down to the planet with the others soaking up some sun…but the ambassador was having everyone over for dinner, which meant dress uniforms and those boots that always pinched my toes.

 

So I didn’t stay disappointed for long.

 

I spent most of the day working and trying to decide what to do when Spock came back on board. I wanted it to be something special, something…relaxing.

 

What did Spock usually do to relax?

 

He usually played chess with Jim, or played a few songs on his lyre.

 

Well I wasn’t that good of a chess player, but maybe he wouldn’t mind. I also hoped he didn’t mind playing on a flat board.

 

My Grand-daddy taught me how to play on a flat board when I was young and I could never get the hang of a 3 dimensional board.

 

But maybe that wouldn’t matter to him if I made it more interesting for him.

 

<><><><><> 

 

Jim and Spock were due back at 19:00 hours so after dinner I packed up a travel bag with a toiletry kit and a clean uniform, grabbed my chess set and snuck down to Spock’s cabin.

 

I set up the chess set, replicated us each a cup of tea, and then went over to his closet. I found a plain black robe that fastened up the middle and went off to the bathroom with my bag.

 

I set my bag down in the corner, and then I stripped off all my clothes, put on Spock’s robe, and only fastened the robe from my upper thighs, up my stomach and stopped just short of my chest.

 

I had just situated the robe to hang loosely on my shoulders to expose my chest when I heard Spock walk in.

 

I peeked out the door and saw that Spock had spotted the tea and chess set.

 

“Leonard?” he called out as he looked over by the sleeping area.

 

I stepped out of the bathroom and Spock turned to face me, his eyebrows rising and his lips parting when he caught sight of what I was wearing.

 

“I hope you don’t mind” I said, my hands sliding down my sides to my hip, smoothing out the fabric of his robe.

 

“Not at all…in fact, you may barrow my robes whenever you wish” he said in a husky voice as I wrapped my arms around his neck.

 

We gave each other a warm, deep, longing kiss, the soft fabric of Spock’s robe being pressed against my front by his long lean body, and my back by his firm hands sent waves of wonderful sensations all along my skin.

 

We parted and I took a moment to admire his marvelous eyes.

 

“Why don’t you make yourself comfortable and we can have a nice quiet game” I said softly as I reluctantly pulled away from him. “I hope you don’t mind playing on a flat board, I’m afraid I’m no good at the 3 dimensional boards” I explained as I went over to the desk.

 

“Not at all, I find playing on a flat board to be quite relaxing” he said as he removed his clothes.

 

“Do you want white or black?” I asked enjoying the beautiful form being exposed to me.

 

“I have no preference, you may pick” he said as he took off his underwear and went to his closet to get his own robe.

 

“I know I won’t be much of a challenge for you” I said as I sat down “but I thought a little wager could make things a little more interesting for you” I said as I crossed my legs and allowed the slit of the robe to fall around my legs, exposing me nearly to my groin.

 

Spock fastened his robe and turned around, his eyes becoming fixated on my legs.

 

“What did you have in mind?” he asked as he walked over to the opposite chair, his eyes never leaving my legs the entire time.

 

“Winner gives the loser a blow job” I said as I moved my foot back and forth, causing the muscles and cords of my leg to dance for him.

 

“I’m afraid I find that proposition to be somewhat…confusing” he said as he finally looked back up at my face.

 

“A blow job means oral sex darlin’ ” I said, and then licked my lips for emphasis.

 

“I am…” he paused to clear his throat before going on “I am well aware of that. I am confused as to whether such a prize is an incentive for me to win…or to lose.”

 

I couldn’t help but chuckle, I’d never thought of it that way.

 

“I’ll tell you what Spock, you go ahead and decide that for yourself” I said as I moved a white pawn forward. “I’m sure you’ll make up your mind before we finish” I said with a sly grin.

 

“I somehow doubt that” he said as he returned his attention back to my legs.

 

Was there anything more flattering than a Vulcan telling you that you had caused him indecision?

 

If there was I sure as hell couldn’t think of it.

 

“How was your trip to the surface?” I asked as I sipped my tea, hoping the change in subject would cool me down long enough to finish this game.

 

We talked as we played and sipped tea, Spock’s gaze shifting from one area of my body to the next. My hands, my legs, my shoulders, those deep brown eyes were all over me.

 

I wish I could say the same for my eyes but the damn robe he was wearing covered up nearly everything…Luckily with eyes like his I didn’t mind. Not to mention those hands, ears and lips were making my imagination go wild.

 

Move after move, captured piece after captured piece got me closer and closer to my prize…well technically Spock was getting closer to his prize, but that was a small technicality.

 

And then…surprise, surprise…Spock won the game, and I was ready to tear that robe off of him with my bare teeth.

 

“You ready for your prize Spock?” I asked as I drew light circles on the back of his hand.

 

“Actually, since you are feeling playful tonight, I was wondering if I might propose a game?” he said as he took me by the hand and lead me over to the bed.

 

“What did you have in mind?” I asked as I wrapped my hands around his waist.

 

He sat me down on the bed, grabbed the pillow from the top of his bed and laid it down on the floor in front of me…kneeling down on the pillow when he had it just right.

 

“If your hands touch me, I’ll stop” he said as he placed my hands down on the bed.

 

“Oh Spock, you wonderful pointed eared fiend” I said as a thrilling wave of heat ran through my entire body.

 

He split open the robe as high as it would go and ran his hands from the tops of my knees down to my ankles.

 

“Would you cross your legs for me ashal-veh” he asked in a husky tone.

 

I smiled devilishly and did as he asked.

 

“I adore your legs” he said as he took his first two fingers and drew a line from the top of my foot to the top of my knee.

 

I moaned at the feel of the feather-lite touch on my skin. It was always those lite touches that drove me nuts.

 

His fingers slid back down my leg, and then he took his fingers and thumb and gently cradled my heel as he started licking and sucking my ankle.

 

I gasped and moaned as I gripped the blanket on the bed, my hands resisting the urge to caress his cheek and ears.

 

“I see you are still quite the sensualist my ashal-veh” he said in a nearly smug tone.

 

“Not that you’re taking advantage of that fact or anything” I said jokingly as my grip became tighter.

 

He hummed as he rubbed his cheek along my calf, and the fingers of his free hand slid along my thigh. I gasped as my head fell back.

 

I kept my eyes closed as I felt his lips and fingers explore all along my leg, and my knuckles were nearly white when I felt his fingers sliding under my thigh.

 

“May I have your other leg ashal-veh?” he asked, his warm breath tickling my skin as he spoke.

 

I switched legs, crossing the opposite leg on top, even though I had the sneaking suspicion it would be the death of me.

 

Spock repeated the same slow methodical moves on this leg as he did the last one. His lips and fingers slowly working me into a frenzy, and somehow my hands stayed put the entire time.

 

Finally he guided my leg to the floor, undid the clasps on the robe and spread my legs apart, my stiff cock bobbing inches from his face. He kissed and licked from my knee all the way up my inner thigh, and then to torture me even more he did the same thing to my other thigh.

 

He finally took pity on me and brought his mouth to my cock, but he gave it the same treatment as my legs, his mouth and hands moving slowly all over my cock and balls. He was hell bound and determined to make sure every inch of skin got its own special treatment and attention – which was very romantic…but I was almost desperate to cum by now.

 

When he swallowed me into his mouth I fell back on the bed and twisted the covers in my hands as I whimpered and whined, silently begging for relief. Up and down he went slowly driving me insane. He picked up the pace, and I gripped the edge of the bed as I rolled my hips into his mouth.

 

He began humming and groaning, causing my cock to vibrate in his warm mouth. My eyes rolled back in my head, my toes curled and I came with a scream in his mouth.

 

It was so intense, afterward all I could hear was my heart pounding in my ears, my vision was hazy and I don’t think I could have moved to save my life…but then I remembered that it was Spock’s turn and I caught my second wind.

 

I sat up and took a hold of the front of his collar.

 

“Your turn” I said as I pulled him in for a kiss.

 

We stood up and switched places, never breaking the kiss until I knelt down on the pillow and he sat down on the bed. I undid the clasp at his waist and let his robe fall open, revealing his green tinted skin and pulsing cock.

 

“I probably won’t be able to be as patient as you” I said before I started licking and nibbling on his inner thigh.

 

“Quite all right Leonard, I never last long with your talented administrations anyway” he said as he opened his legs wider to give me more access.

 

“Mm, you say the sweetest things darlin’ ” I said as I began to pay attention to his other thigh.

 

His skin was so warm and smooth on my tongue and lips, I would have hated to leave all of that lovely flesh if that cock didn’t look so delicious. I licked and lavished every one of his eight inches while my hands took turns massaging his balls and legs. After giving some special attention to his ridges I devoured him.

 

It felt so good having my mouth stretched around that large, silken appendage, his pre-cum dripping on my tongue. I would have loved to have stayed like that longer, but he wasn’t exaggerating when he said he was close.

 

Before I knew it I could feel the muscles in his legs and abs tightening. I hummed around his cock as he came, which caused him to make this sexy little noise that I had never heard from him before.

 

When I finished licking him clean I sat back to enjoy that soft relaxed look on his face. Eventually his eyes opened, and his pupils were so large his normally chocolate brown eyes looked like two obsidians.

 

He stood up and lifted me to my feet. He kissed me gently as he took my hand and lead us to the bathroom. He ran a washcloth under some warm water and then began to clean off my exposed skin.

 

“Do I understand the bag in the corner to mean you intend to stay the night?” he asked gently.

 

“Do you mind?” I asked nervously.

 

This relationship was fairly new and I didn’t want to push Spock too fast.

 

“Not at all, in fact I was hoping for another chance to wake up next to you. I thoroughly enjoyed it the last time” he said as he pulled me close for a deep kiss.

 

We finished cleaning up and we decided to extend the bed this time around.

 

The beds on the _Enterprise_ were designed with a spare bed under the standard beds in case of emergencies, excess passengers, or in the case of the married couples lucky enough to get stationed on the same ship.

 

It worked pretty much like the old-style trundle beds. Push a button and the bottom bed slid out, push another button and it rose up, making the two single beds one large bed.

 

It made the sleeping area really tight, but it made the bed just right for two. And as Spock and I curled up together under the blankets the only thing on my mind before I drifted off to sleep was how nicely we fit together, and how nice it would be if we could do this every night.


	11. I knew who I was this morning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Based on the Episode 'Mirror, Mirror' from McCoy's point of view
> 
> Nothing explicit about this chapter.

I felt kisses on my cheeks and jaw when I woke up the next morning. I smiled and rolled my head back so he could have access to my neck.

 

He kissed along my neck and nibbled on my collar bones before going back to my jaw.

 

“Good morning ashal-veh” he said as he kissed my jaw one last time before sitting up.

 

“It certainly is” I said as I stretched out on the bed. “Good morning beautiful” I said gazing at that lovely stoic face.

 

“I thought I would retrieve us some breakfast while you freshen up, what would you like to eat?” he asked as he rubbed his hand along my hip.

 

“Eggs sound good” I said as I sat up and gave him a small kiss.

 

“Very well, I will return shortly” he said as he kissed my cheek, and then went off to the mess hall.

 

I got up, worked the kinks out of my back, cleaned up and got dressed. When I walked out of the bathroom Spock had two breakfast trays set up on the table along with a cup of coffee for me and a cup of tea for himself.

 

We talked as we ate and held hands as we sipped our drinks.

 

When we stepped out into the hall to go off to our stations we ran into Jim.

 

“Bones, where’ve you been? I went down to your quarters and you weren’t there” he said as he came up to us.

 

“I’ve…been around” I said hoping I wasn’t turning red.

 

“Uh-huh” he said as his eyes darted between me and Spock.

 

“Did you need something Jim?” I asked in as relaxed a tone as I could manage.

 

“Yes, we have a new mission” he said, his persona changing from friend to captain in a snap.  “I’ll need you two to meet me in the briefing room with Scotty and Uhura in ten minutes.”

 

“Yes Captain” Spock said as I nodded in agreement, and we made our way to the briefing room for our next assignment.

 

<><><><><> 

 

The mission was rather simple. We were going to request mining rights for dilithium crystals from the Halkan Council, and we were bringing along proof that the federation was peaceful and non-hostile.

 

I was just checking to make sure I had all the medical documents I needed when I overheard Jim and Spock talking.

 

“I would advise caution on your trip Captain” Spock said as Jim stepped on to the transporter pad with the rest of us.

 

“Caution?” Jim said looking confused. “The Halkan’s are the only civilization to have an entire history of peace, why would we have to be cautious?”

 

“I do not refer to Halkan’s inhabitants, I refer to the climate. Sensors show a magnetic ion storm approaching” Spock explained.

 

“I see, do you know what time it should reach us?” Jim asked.

 

“14:00 hours ship’s time, 17:00 hours Halkan time” Spock answered.

 

“We’ll try and finish up and be back aboard by then, just keep an eye on the monitors until then.”

 

“Yes Captain” Spock said as he stepped behind the control panel.

 

“Energize” Jim ordered and we beamed down to the surface.

 

<><><><><> 

 

The storm came to a head sooner than we expected, luckily for better or worse our talks with the Halkan Council were finished and we were beaming back aboard…

 

At least that’s what we thought.

 

I stepped off the transporter pad and the Spock I saw standing by the controls wasn’t the Spock I left behind.

 

He had a beard, his uniform was different and he was giving us a strange salute.

 

I looked down and saw that my uniform wasn’t the same either.

 

“Status of mission Captain?” Spock asked as he stepped out from behind the controls.

 

“No change” Jim said as he stepped closer to Spock.

 

“Standard procedure Captain?” he asked flatly.

 

Jim nodded, doing his best to play along without giving anything away until he knew what was going on.

 

Spock ordered a phaser barrage aimed at Halkan…?!

 

“Their military capability Captain?” Spock asked in a chillingly neutral tone.

 

“None” Jim said, clearly as confused as I was.

 

“Regrettable that this society has chosen suicide” he said with hardly a hint of concern. “Mr. Kyle, you were instructed to compensate during the ion storm” he said in an authoritative voice that I had never heard before.

 

“But I tried…” Kyle tried to say but was cut short.

 

“Carelessness with the equipment cannot be tolerated” Spock said sternly.

 

What sort of a place is this that Spock cared more about computer equipment than the safety of a planet?

 

“But, Mr. Spock, I tried…” Kyle said again this time sounding panicked.

 

“Your agonizer” Spock ordered.

 

What in the world was an agonizer?

 

“No, Mr. Spock” Kyle begged as he backed away from Spock.

 

“Your agonizer, please” Spock said as he moved closer to him looking like a predator ready to pounce on an injured animal.

 

“No, Mr. Spock” Kyle pleaded “I tried, I really tired.”

 

A guard took a hold of Kyle and finally handed Spock a strange device from Kyle’s belt.

 

Spock took it and placed it on Kyle’s chest near his shoulder.

 

Kyle screamed and gasped in pain!

 

I was frozen with confusion and horror, Jim nearly went to help and intervene, but caught himself before he could give himself away.

 

A few seconds later Spock pulled the ‘agonizer’ off of Kyle and he slid down the wall breathing heavily from the pain.

 

Spock dropped the device next to Kyle’s limp body and walked away without a care in the world.

 

“Mr. Scott,” he said turning his attention toward us “the storm caused some minor damage in your section. There are also injuries requiring your attention, Doctor” he said looking at me, his eyes vacant and dull.

 

“Well, gentleman?” he said challengingly when we didn’t move.

 

“Mr. Spock” Kyle said from the control panel.

 

“Yes?” Spock asked.

 

“The power beam jumped for a moment, sir, just as the landing party was about to materialize. I never saw it happen before.”

 

A chill ran down my spine and my stomach grew tense. If they figured out we weren’t who they thought we were…

 

“Due to your error, Mr. Kyle?” Spock asked in a dangerous tone as he walked back over to the controls.

 

“No Mr. Spock, before” Kyle explained hurriedly.

 

“Possibly a result of the sever storm, Captain” he said turning to Jim “do you feel any abnormal effects?”

 

“Yes…Dr. McCoy,” he said turning to me. “You better look us over. That was a rough beam-up” he said in that tone that told me to play along.

 

“Yes sir” I said in a neutral tone and walked over to the doors.

 

Jim turned suddenly and ordered the transporter circuits checked, only then did he walk out with us.

 

“Captain what is this?”

 

“Captain how did we get in this?”

 

Scotty and Uhura tried to ask at the same time when we reached the hall.

 

“Not now, not now” Jim said softly and motioned for them to keep quiet.

 

We followed him down the hall to the turbo-lift, crewmen stopping to salute Jim as we went.

 

“Captain…” Uhura tried to start again, but Jim pressed a finger over his lips to stop her.

 

He didn’t want to talk in a place as public as a turbo-lift and I could see by the way his jaw tightened that he was trying to figure out what was going on and calculating what his next move would be.

 

We rode down in a tense silence and walked down the hall to sickbay. I thought I’d relax once I got to my office and the familiar surroundings…but there was nothing familiar about this place either.

 

“What is this?” I asked going over to my laboratory table. “Everything’s all messed up, changed around, out of place” I said, and I wasn’t just talking about the lab.

 

“Captain, what’s happened?” Uhura asked.

 

“Well, not everything” I said breaking in. “That spot,” I said pointing to the table “I spilled acid there a year ago. Jim, what in blazes…?”

 

“I don’t know” he answered and then he started talking like he was thinking out loud. “It’s our _Enterprise_ …but it isn’t. Maybe…” he said stopping short and began pacing.

 

“Maybe what Captain?” Uhura prompted.

 

“Any of you feel dizzy when we were in the transporter beam?” he asked turning back to us “when we first materialized?”

 

We all said yes.

 

“It happened twice” Jim went on. “First, we were in our own transporter chamber, and then we faded, and then, when we finally materialized we were here, wherever here is.”

 

“Captain, the transporter chief mentioned a surge of power” Scotty said. “The transporter lock might have been affected by the ion storm and we just materialized someplace else” he explained.

 

“Yes, here” Jim said thinking out loud again. “Not our universe, not our ship, something…parallel” he said as if his mind put two and two together. “A parallel universe, coexisting with ours on another dimensional plane” he explained. “Everything’s duplicated” Jim went on “almost. Another _Enterprise_ , Spock with a beard…”

 

“Another Captain Kirk, another Dr. McCoy, another…” Uhura said following along were Jim’s logic was traveling.

 

“An exchange” I said as the idea dawned on me. “If we’re here…” I said looking to Jim.

 

“Then our counterparts must have been transporting up at the exact same time” Jim said his mind going at full speed now that we knew what was going on…

 

Or at least had an idea of what was going on…

 

“Similar storms on both universes disrupted the circuits” Jim continued. “We’re here and they’re…on our _Enterprise_ ” Jim said, his features taking on a horrified reaction. “Probably asking the same questions: Are we in another universe? And if so, how do we get back to our own? They’ll use the computer, and we have to” he said going over to my desk.

 

“What about the Halkan’s?” I asked as fear gripped me “We can’t let them be destroyed.”

 

I knew Jim had a lot on his plate but we couldn’t sit up here saving ourselves while they were blasted out of existence under our feet…and Jim knew that too.

 

“Scotty, can you buy me some time?” he asked determinedly “get below and short out the main phaser couplings. They’ll think the storm blew the circuits.”

 

“Aye Sir” Scotty said hurriedly.

 

“Then, get on this technology” Jim added “It’s all we have to work with if we want to get back home.”

 

Scotty was about to leave when a thought occurred to Jim.

 

“The intercoms may be monitored. Use your communicators for private messages. Sub-frequency, and scrabbled” Jim ordered.

 

“Aye Sir” Scotty said before he rushed off.

 

Jim started talking to Uhura just then, giving her orders for this and that when something on my desk caught my attention. A skull…a skull of the Eel Bird from Regulus V, it was a male too if the heft was any indication…yeah a skull like this would take a hammer to break.

 

“Bones” Jim said calling me back over to my desk. “Let’s take a look at the library. We have a lot to learn” he said as he went through the file cards on my desk.

 

I started helping him go through the files, but I was certain I wasn’t going to like anything I’d find.

 

<><><><><> 

 

Uhura called me and said to meet in Jim’s quarters soon, but a scream caught my attention. I ran over to the sickbay beds and found a man lying on the bed, his vital signs going haywire, two orderlies standing over him laughing.

 

“Hey Doc, we got a bet going” one of them said looking up at me. “I say it’ll take twenty minutes for this guy to pass out, O’Neil here says it’ll be half that. Wanna put your money on a number?” he asked with a big toothy grin.

 

I nearly yelled at them and ran over to give the man some relief…but then I remembered where I was…and I did nothing.

 

“Afraid I have to leave and see the Captain” I said in as professional a voice as I could manage.

 

Their smiles faded away when I mentioned the captain and the color drained from their faces.

 

“All right Doc” they said as they waited there silently until I left.

 

“Hope you come back alive, Doctor” Christine said as I passed her on my way out the door, her laughter echoing in my ears as I left.

 

A sickening chill consumed me as I made my way to Jim’s cabin.

 

<><><><><> 

 

When we walked in I had to do a double take on Jim’s face.

 

“Here. Here, what’s this?” I asked dabbing my thumb along his chin.

 

“It’s called blood” he said sarcastically, causing me to feel embarrassed and testy. “Watch your step” he said more seriously “the officers move up by assassination. Chekov tried it on me.”

 

Somehow that didn’t surprise me.

 

“Mr. Sulu is security chief, like the ancient Gestapo” Scotty said softly as if mentioning Sulu’s name would make him suddenly appear.

 

“My sickbay is a chamber of horrors” I said disgustedly “Two of my assistants were betting on the tolerance of an injured man, how long it would take him to pass out from the pain” I explained feeling sick to my stomach.

 

“Report on technology” Jim said sounding more determined than ever to get us back home.

 

“Mostly variations in instrumentation, nothing I can’t handle” Scotty answered.

 

“Star readings?” Jim asked.

 

“Everything’s exactly where it should be, except us” he replied.

 

He could say that again.

 

“Let’s find out where we stand” Jim said as he worked the computer at his desk. He posed his theories to the computer and it agreed with him.

 

I couldn’t help but wish Spock was here for Jim to bounce ideas and theories off of, instead of a computer operated and programmed by the maniacs of this universe.

 

“Scotty, can you do it?” Jim asked handing him a data file.

 

“Not by myself. I’ll need help, and you’d be too conspicuous” he said looking at Jim.

 

A second later they were both looking at me…!

 

“I’m a doctor, not an engineer” I said worried I’d be more of a hindrance than a help.

 

“Now you’re an engineer” he said, sounding about as thrilled as I was. “I’ll have to tap the power we need from the warp engines, and balance it for the four of us” he said as he went to the smaller computer on the desk to work out the numbers.

 

“Jim, the way this ship is run, what kind of people are we in this universe?” I asked, curious as to how I should act here.

 

“Let’s find out. Computer…”

 

“Ready” the mechanical voice announced.

 

“Read out official record of current command” Jim ordered.

 

The computer read out the assassination of Christopher Pike and two genocidal acts before Jim cancelled the order.

 

“Now we know” Jim said in a resentful voice.

 

“Captain, we can do it” Scotty said as he rose up from the desk, a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

 

“Good” Jim said a glimmer of hope rising in his eyes now.

 

“We have to lay in the automatic-transporter setting,” Scotty went on “But when we interrupt engine circuits to tie the power increase into the transporter, it’ll show up on Sulu’s security board. Of course, we’ll only need a second” he added quickly.

 

“I’ll tell Uhura to create a diversion to distract Sulu’s attention at your signal” Jim said. “We’d better get back to our posts, keep me advised” he said and Scotty rushed off to get ready.

 

“Jim” I said, stopping him from leaving the room just yet. “If we’re here, what do you suppose our counterparts are doing back in our universe?” I asked, the idea of my counterpart anywhere near Spock or my patients causing me unbelievable fear.

 

“On our _Enterprise_ ” Jim said as nightmares of his own settled into his mind at the thought.

 

We gave each other a grim look and silently went off in opposite directions.

 

<><><><><> 

 

I snuck into sickbay and stole a hypo full of sedatives before meeting up with Scotty.

 

Scotty said he would walk around and approach the guard from the opposite direction. When I saw him at the end of the hall I started walking towards the guard.

 

When Scotty saluted the guard, he turned to salute Scotty in return. That’s when I saw my opening and gave him the entire hypo’s worth of sedatives.

 

He was unconscious in seconds. Scotty and I each grabbed an arm, I flipped the switch to unlock the door and we dragged him inside.

 

“That ought to hold him for about six hours” I told Scotty as he laid the guard down in the corner behind some storage crates.

 

We climbed up to the main power controls, Scotty flipping switches and looking around carefully to make sure we were alone. I did everything he said as best I could the rest of the time, trying my damnedest to not think about my counterpart in my universe, or worry about whether or not Spock was okay.

 

Spock could protect himself better than anyone I knew, but if anyone could get close enough to hurt or even kill Spock it’d be someone with my face.

 

“Scotty” I heard Jim calling over the communicator at one point.

 

“Scotty here sir” he replied.

 

“We have to get out of here within three hours, Spock has orders to kill me unless I complete the military mission” Jim said in a hushed tone.

 

Great as if I wasn’t nervous enough as it was.

 

“We’ve got another deadline too, sir” Scotty said in reply as I continued unscrewing the panel he needed access to.

 

“Explain” Jim replied.

 

“The two-way matter transmission affected the local field density between the universes, and it’s increasing. We’ve got to move fast” he said urgently.

 

I was no expert on this stuff, but the way Scotty was talking it sounded like the door to our universe was closing…and fast.

 

“How fast?” Jim asked.

 

“A half hour, at the most.”

 

“If we miss?” Jim asked, and somehow I knew I wouldn’t like the answer.

 

“We couldn’t get out of here in a century.”

 

Hearing that almost caused me to drop the tools I was holding.

 

“Now, we’re ready to bridge power for the engines to the transporter” Scotty went on “you’ve got  to get down there and free the board so we can lock in, give me about ten minutes, I’ve got to complete a few more computations.”

 

“All right, I’ll be in the transporter room in ten minutes. I’ll meet you in the sickbay afterward.”

 

“Aye sir” Scotty said and then went back to work.

 

And I went back to worrying.

 

Ten minutes later we got to the tricky part. Scotty was in one of the maintenance tubes re-routing the power while I stood guard holding the communicator.

 

“Mr. Scott all clear, on my way to the sickbay” Uhura said.

 

“Now it’s up to the Captain” I said to Scotty as he put the panel back on and climbed out of the tube.

 

<><><><><> 

 

Uhura, Scotty and I were in the sickbay waiting for Jim, my nerves causing me to bite on my nails. I was just checking to make sure I hadn’t chewed on them too much when the doors slid open.

 

Jim came walking in…and Spock was standing right behind him, with a phaser pointed at his back.

 

“Yes, of course, the entire landing party” Spock said looking around at each of us. “Captain, stand over there” he ordered and then turned to me. “Doctor, it is time for answers.”

 

My heart raced in my chest and my muscles tensed when he said that. Luckily Jim spun around and knocked the phaser out of his hand…but then Spock threw Jim over an exam table.

 

All hell broke loose then.

 

We all charged Spock at once. Scotty and Uhura went flying to one end of the room. Spock flipped me over to the floor behind him.

 

Jim came after him again, nearly fighting right on top of me. Spock threw Jim and Uhura across the room. I got up, jumped on his back, and tried to wrap my arm around his neck, but he flipped me over his shoulder and onto the floor again.

 

Scotty charged him again, but Spock tossed him against the wall like he weighed no more than a small sack of potatoes.

 

Spock spotted me and started to move towards me, but Jim tackled him against the wall before he could get to me. I thought for sure he had a hold on Spock, but he knocked Jim to the floor.

 

Scotty and I tried to grab his arms, but he pushed both of us off to the side.

 

I looked up and saw Jim had grabbed the Eel bird scull. He hit it against the back of Spock’s head…and it shattered into a million pieces!

 

Spock went down after that…I’m not sure if it was because of my Hippocratic Oath or my feelings for Spock that I crawled over to check on him, but when I did it didn’t look good.

 

His scull didn’t feel fractured, but his pulse was thready and I’d bet my license his brain was swelling.

 

“Help me get him on the table” I said to Scotty and Jim. “Well come on” I said frantically when they didn’t move “help me get him on the table! He’ll die without immediate treatment.”

 

They finally gave in and we got him on the exam table. Sure enough, his brain was swelling and it was wreaking havoc on his system.

 

“Come on, McCoy, we’re taking a chance on not getting back home” Scotty said desperately.

 

“We’ll get home. This won’t take long” I said, trying to sound reassuring as I scanned Spock.

 

“Fourteen minutes, we’ve got to go!” Scotty said sounding almost hysterical.

 

“Will you shut up! I can save his life” I paused and looked over at Jim silently pleading for him to understand that I couldn’t sit by or run off and let someone die. “Do you want me to stop Jim? It’ll only take a minute.”

 

Was a minute so much to ask for the price of a life?

 

“He is very much like our own Mr. Spock, isn’t he?” Jim said in a sentimental tone. “You’ve got that minute” he said smiling.

 

“A little time and he’ll live” I said…and then the doors slid open.

 

Sulu came walking in, his dagger in his hand, followed by three large men with phasers pointed at us.

 

“What is this Mr. Sulu?” Jim asked trying his best to sound the part of a cruel displeased captain.

 

“Mr. Spock has orders to kill you Captain. He will succeed…apparently. You will also appear to have killed him after a fierce battle” he said as he held up his dagger. “Regrettable, but it will leave me in command” he said with a pleased smile on his face.

 

Jim looked like he was getting ready to fight again, but all of a sudden…one of the guards disappeared. Then another…And then the last one disappeared leaving only Sulu…

 

This universe was going to give me a headache. First we have cruel and barbaric ships personnel trying to kill us, and now they’re disappearing out of nowhere!

 

Jim took care of Sulu quickly, and I was grateful I didn’t have two patients to worry about right now.

 

“Captain we’ve barely got ten minutes” Scotty said anxiously.

 

“Let’s go Bones” Jim said as he grabbed my arm.

 

“I can’t let him die Jim” I said adamantly. “Look you get to the transporter room, make sure it’s clear. I’ll be there in five minutes.”

 

“No longer” Jim said firmly.

 

“I guarantee it” I promised.

 

Jim nodded for Uhura and Scotty to get moving, but his hand seemed unwilling to release me.

 

“Now, go on, please” I begged and only then did he release me.

 

He gave my arm one last squeeze, one last gesture saying he didn’t want to lose me.

 

I prayed as I watched him leave. I prayed we’d make it through this. Prayed that we’d live long enough that I could buy Jim a drink and we could talk about how we dodged death again.

 

And I prayed I’d live long enough to kiss my Spock goodnight…

 

I took a hypo full of medicine that would help decrease the swelling in his head. I watched the monitors to see if it was having any effect on him…And then before I knew it he bolted up and grabbed me by the arm.

 

“Why did the Captain let me live?” he asked, his eyes looking at me with cold indifference.

 

He tried to pull me forward, but I pulled back, he pushed against my arm and he walked closer to me. He slowly walked us back until I felt the rigid wall behind me.

 

Spock lifted his hand toward me and placed it on my face. I could instantly feel the tendrils of his mind floating and dispersing into my mind.

 

“Our minds are merging, Doctor” I heard him say, sounding almost far away. “Our minds are one” I heard him say more clearly. “I feel what you feel” he said only this time I heard his voice echoing in my mind at the same time he was speaking. “I know what you know” he said and I could hear him in my mind as clearly as with my ears.

 

He leaned in closer to me, as if my eyes were showing him pictures of what he was seeing in my mind.

 

I felt my mind drifting from memory to memory.

 

Jim explaining how we were in another universe, Scotty and I working in the engine room…and then the images went back. Back to what I had learned about Earth and Vulcan in my history classes, Zefram Cochrane and space travel. What I had learned about the federation at the academy. I could see earlier today, all the medical information I had gathered for the Halkan Council. The evidence that Jim and the others presented to show we were peaceful and humane.

 

My head felt like it was a car spinning out of control on a slippery road…or like a computer that was having the information downloaded too quickly.

 

That last thought sounded suspiciously like Spock.

 

That’s when my mind went to thoughts of Spock. Thought after thought, memory after memory, all of it moving so fast and forcefully I thought my mind would blow out on me like an overheated light bulb.

 

When my memories reached our first date, and then our first kiss – Spock’s hand left my head.

 

It felt like the world’s largest rubber band had been snapped against my head and I collapsed to the floor.

 

My head…my whole body…felt like it was on fire, my stomach felt sick and toppled, and all my nerves were vibrating up a storm as my heart pounded in my chest.

 

I vaguely wondered if this is what an over worked engine felt like just before it combusted.

 

I tried lifting my head and opening my eyes. I could make out a black and blue fuzzy image over near my computer. I blinked until the blurry image came into focus…and I saw that it was Spock.

 

Spock moved from the computer over to the medicine cabinet. He took out a vile and attached it to a hypo. He came over to me and gave me a shot. My eyes were still a little unfocused but the label said ‘Lexorin’. As soon as that stuff hit my blood stream my heart rate slowed down and the pounding in my head decreased to a small throbbing ache.

 

Spock held my head in his hands and looked at me closely…and for a moment he looked like my Spock. Warm and caring…but it didn’t last very long.

 

“Come” he said as he lifted me to my feet and quietly escorted me down to the transporter room.

 

When we stepped through the doors everyone turned towards us. Jim tensed and looked ready for a fight.

 

“I cut the transporter power” Spock said, although he sounded a little muffled to me. “It was necessary to delay your beam-out until I could arrive.”

 

Spock turned to Scotty and handed me over to him. Scotty helped me over to the transporter pad, by muscles starting to feel wobbly from the Lexorin, and my head was swimming.

 

Jim and Spock talked about changing the future and present, about freedom and revolutions and then Spock was activating the transporter.

 

We appeared back on the ship…and this time I saw _my_ Spock.

 

I was home.

 

<><><><><> 

 

Nice thing about the Lexorin – it cures you and works its way out of your system in minutes.

 

By the time I scanned us all over and gave everyone the okay to get back to work I was back to normal, and Jim and I were back on the bridge talking with Spock.

 

“What I don’t understand is how you were able to identify our counterparts so quickly” Jim said as he relaxed in his captain’s chair.

 

I’ll bet I know how he spotted my counterpart so quickly, I thought as I leaned against the rail behind Jim.

 

“It was far easier for you, as civilized men, to behave like barbarians than it was for them, as barbarians, to behave like civilized men” Spock explained. “I assume they returned to their _Enterprise_ at the same time you appeared here?” Spock asked inquisitively.

 

“Probably” Jim said. “However that Jim Kirk will find a few changes, if I read my Spocks correctly.”

 

Spock’s eyebrow quirked at that remark and I couldn’t help but be playful with him.

 

“Jim, I think I liked him with a beard better, gave him character” I said with a small grin. “Of course, almost any change would be a distinct improvement” I said jokingly.

 

Although to be fair…Spock on a bed without any clothes on would be an even better improvement.

 

Jim laughed and decided to get in on the fun too.

 

“What worries me is the easy way his counterpart fitted into that other universe” he said lightly. “I always thought Spock was a bit of a pirate at heart.”

 

“Indeed gentlemen” Spock said in that tone that told me he had something clever to say. “May I point out that I had the opportunity to observe your counterparts here quite closely. They were brutal, savage, unprincipled, uncivilized, treacherous, in every way splendid examples of _homo sapiens_ , the very flower of humanity. I found them quite refreshing.”

 

You know I’m beginning to think I’m a bad influence on that man.

 

“I’m not sure, but I think we’ve been insulted” Jim said as he turned to me.

 

“I’m sure” I said in an experienced tone.

 

I was just about to leave and finish up my report when a girl walked onto the bridge. I had to turn and look at her more closely. She looked familiar…but I couldn’t quite place her.

 

If the look on Jim’s face was anything to go by she was very familiar to him too.

 

“Met her before Captain?” Spock asked as she walked away.

 

“Uh, why do you ask?” he asked trying to sound innocent.

 

“Your reaction, one of…recognition?” Spock replied tactfully.

 

“Oh, no. No, no we haven’t met before…exactly. She just seemed a nice likable girl. I think we could become friends.”

 

Spock raised his eyebrow and gave him a dubious look.

 

“It’s possible” Jim said and then he walked over to talk to her more privately.

 

Well, looks like I’ll be offering to buy Jim a drink some other time…which honestly was fine with me.

 

I wanted to curl up next to Spock and relax the night away.

 

<><><><><> 

 

I finished my report and got it ready to be delivered tomorrow, and then went down to Spock’s cabin for dinner.

 

Although if I was being honest none of those things were very easy tonight. Every now and then I would get a terrible shooting pain in my head.

 

I tried to hide it as best I could, but Spock was a little too observant for that.

 

“Leonard, are you feeling well? You seem quieter than usual tonight” Spock said as he took a hold of my hand.

 

“Yeah, it’s just been a long day and I’ve had a terrible headache ever sense we came back” I said rubbing my head.

 

“Is there anything I can do for you?” he asked sweetly and gently.

 

“Well, why don’t I go take some aspirins and then we can lay down and watch a movie together” I suggested with a small smile.

 

“That sounds quite pleasant” he said nearly purring.

 

I went to the bathroom, splashed some water on my face and took a couple of aspirins before I took my uniform off.

 

When I stepped out Spock had set up a movie and turned down the bed. He turned around and his warm eyes swept over me.

 

He came over, wrapped his arms around me and started kissing me. I could have stayed like that forever…

 

But I had to pull back and grab my forehead, a sudden jolt of pain causing me to cringe.

 

“Leonard” Spock said concerned as he started massaging my neck.

 

“I’m okay, I’m okay, the aspirin just hasn’t kicked in yet” I said as I rested on his shoulder. “Guess I’m not cut out for interdimensional traveling huh?” I said jokingly to lighten the mood.

 

“Here ashal-veh, lie down and rest” he said as he put me in the bed and covered me up.

 

Spock stepped over to his closet and started taking off his clothes.

 

I laid there enjoying the view until my head started hurting again.

 

Spock eventually laid down next to me and started the movie. I used his chest as a pillow as one of his arms wrapped around my back.

 

My head hurt for most of the night, but I didn’t care. I was laying in my lover’s bed, next to my Spock, on board my ship, in my universe.

 

Right here, right now, lying here next to Spock - I was home.

 

And I couldn’t ask for any more than that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Eel bird comes from 'Amok Time'
> 
> The 'Lexorin' I got from Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
> 
> Title is part of a quote from 'Alice in Wonderland' just because it seemed to apply.
> 
> "I knew who I was this morning, but I've changed a few times since then"  
> Lewis Carroll


	12. Healing Hands

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first time Spock helped heal McCoy.
> 
> Warning: this chapter is explicit and very hand-centeric

 

I tossed and turned all night, my head aching beyond belief. And when I woke up the next morning the pain felt as bad as ever.

 

“Leonard, you do not look well” Spock said as he turned on the lights.

 

“I still have that headache from yesterday” I said as I rubbed my temples. “I think I’m going to go take a shower, see if that helps any” I said as I grabbed my towel.

 

“Very well, call me if you require anything” he said as I went over to the bathroom.

 

“Thanks Spock” I said, wishing I could sound more grateful than miserable.

 

The hot water felt wonderful on my back and shoulders, but it didn’t do anything for my head. I got dressed and went back out to the main room, my head throbbing in time with my pulse.

 

“Would you like me to get you something to eat?” Spock asked, a slight bit of concern leaking into his words.

 

The thought of food suddenly had my stomach feeling queasy.

 

“No, thank you, I think I’ll just grab some juice on my way to sickbay” I said rubbing my forehead.

 

“Are you certain you are well enough to work today?” he asked as he stroked my cheek, his usually warm hands feeling cool on my skin.

 

“I’m not sure. Maybe when I go down to sickbay I’ll give myself a check-up, see if I’m not coming down with something” I said feeling exhausted.

 

“All right, you are welcome to rest in my quarters if you wish, and I could bring you some soup on my lunch break” he offered gently.

 

“That sounds nice” I said as I gave him a quick kiss. “I’ll see you later” I said and then went on my way down to sickbay.

 

When I got to my desk I sent in my report that I had finished yesterday and started running tests and scans on myself.

 

<><><><><> 

 

Well the good news was all my scans and tests for the usual viruses and ailments were all negative…but my neuro-scans were odd.

 

My synapses and neurons were showing some kind of damage, but it wasn’t like anything I had ever seen before.

 

I was trying to make sense of the reading when Spock came rushing in.

 

“I just read your report” he said as he came over and knelt down in front of me. “I may know what is causing your headaches, may I?” he asked as he raised his hands up to my face.

 

“…yes” I said hesitantly, wondering what was going on.

 

He pressed his fingers softly against my face and I felt his mind gently entering into my mind.

 

“My counterpart, did he severe the connection quickly or slowly?” he asked, his hands moving from one part on my head to another.

 

“Quickly” I answered, and then winced with pain when one of his hands reached the back of my head.

 

“I thought as much” he said as he rose up, his hands circling my head.

 

He eventually stood behind me, his thumbs at the base of my scull and his fingers spread along my temples.

 

Jim came in just then.

 

“Spock what is the…meaning of this?” he asked a little out of breath, sounding upset at first and then went to sounding confused as he saw Spock’s hands on my head.

 

“I apologize for rushing off the bridge in such a manner, but when I read the doctor’s report on what had happened in the parallel universe I knew I had to see Dr. McCoy right away. My counterpart forcibly melded with him and severed the connection too quickly. Now he is suffering the effects of it” he explained as his fingers moved around my head again.

 

I gasped and clenched my teeth when he got near my crown. My eyes and fists squeezing tight from the pain it caused.

 

“When a mind meld is broken too quickly it can cause some damage” Spock continued. “The Lexorin and a good night’s sleep should have been enough to cure the effects; however his encounter on Beta III with the Landru machine has complicated matters.”

 

“What do you mean?” Jim asked with concern as he stepped closer to us.

 

“The machines on Beta III that brainwashed Dr. McCoy and the others caused neurological damage, which has since healed, however, when my counterpart forced his way into McCoy’s mind and then abruptly severed the connection it not only caused the old injuries from the Landru machine to be aggravated, but it also caused the damage from the meld to be intensified and prolonged” Spock explained as he worked to reduce the pain in my head.

 

“Is he going to be all right?” Jim asked worriedly.

 

“He will be fine with the proper care” Spock answered as his hands moved down to my neck.

 

Normally I would have been griping at them for talking over me as if I wasn’t there, but whatever Spock was doing to me was making me so relaxed I couldn’t care less.

 

“He will need multiple Lexorin injections throughout the day, a great deal of rest, and I shall have to perform a number of special healing techniques and mind melds on him in order to repair the damage” Spock said as his hands moved up to my brow. “It should hopefully take no more than a day.”

 

“Okay” Jim said sounding a little more relaxed. “I’ll have one of the other doctors take over for the day. Do you need anything?”

 

“I think it would be best if we did the healing in my quarters where McCoy can rest and I can properly meditate and monitor him” Spock said as he released me and put his hands on my shoulders. “I will need you to retrieve two bottles of Lexorin and a hypo from the cabinet, and then I will need your assistance helping Dr. McCoy to my quarters.”

 

“You got it” Jim said as he walked off to the medicine cabinet to get the supplies.

 

When the doors slid shut behind Jim I rested my head against Spock’s arm and placed my hand on top of one of the hands he had resting on my shoulders.

 

“You will be fine ashal-veh, I will see to that” Spock whispered with a mixture of determination and reassurance.

 

I slid my thumb along his knuckles as a quiet ‘thank you’ before I released his hand and sat up straighter.

 

Jim came walking in carrying my medical kit and handed it to Spock.

 

“The healing treatment I just gave him will cause weakening in his extremities so we will have to support him on the way to my quarters” Spock said as he secured the kit to his belt.

 

They were just about to raise me up when I stopped them.

 

“Wait, wait, wait, check the halls, I don’t want anyone to see me like this” I said pointing to the door.

 

Jim went over to the doors and checked the halls.

 

“All clear” he said as he came back over to help Spock get me to my feet.

 

We walked down the hall and into the turbo-lift; my limbs feeling like lead the entire way. The doors opened to the deck we wanted and Jim rested me against Spock so he could check the halls. He motioned for us to stay put as he kept an eye on the end of one of the halls.

 

I resisted the urge to nuzzle against Spock’s neck while we waited, but it wasn’t easy.

 

After a minute or two he came back over to us and supported me against his shoulder. We got down the hall and into Spock’s cabin with no problems, and they both set me down to rest on the bed.

 

“I’ll be able to handle things from here Jim, thank you” Spock said as he escorted Jim over to the door.

 

“Okay, but call me if anything serious comes up” he said before leaving.

 

Spock came over, removed my boots and socks and then started removing my uniform.

 

“I’m sorry to pull you away from your duties like this” I said feeling groggy and sore as he got me down to my underwear and shirt.

 

“You have no reason to apologize ashal-veh, this was no fault of yours” he said as he folded my uniform and placed it in the closet.

 

“Still, I know how important your work is to you and I hate that you’re getting pulled away from all of it just to nursemaid me” I said as I rubbed my eyes and forehead, trying to relax the tight muscles.

 

“Leonard” Spock said gently as he knelt in front of me and held on to both of my hands. “You and your health are far more important to me right now” he said in a very serious tone.

 

My heart started racing.

 

Spock – a man, who as long as I’ve known him, has been totally devoted to his work, was saying that I was more important.

 

“Oh Spock” I said as I leaned in to kiss him…

 

But a sudden rush of pain stopped me dead in my tracks.

 

My head fell to his shoulder and I tried to take in a few slow, deep breathes to stop the pain.

 

“Be careful ashal-veh, your blood pressure must remain low until you are fully healed” he said as he placed a hand at the back of my neck.

 

“Now you tell me” I murmured sarcastically against his shoulder.

 

“Forgive me Leonard, I often forget that you humans have a physical reaction in conjuncture with your emotions” he said as he helped me to get upright again.

 

“I think I need to lay down” I said suddenly feeling exhausted clear down to my bones.

 

“Yes you will need a great deal of rest, but first…” he said as he got out a hypo and a bottle of Lexorin.

 

He shot a small dose in my arm and then helped me under the covers.

 

Before I dozed off Spock laid his fingers against my temple, a soothing feeling drifting over my relaxed body.

 

“You got a good bedside manner Spock” I said lazily, and then drifted off to sleep.

 

<><><><><> 

 

I woke up a little while later and reached over to the spot next to me, when I didn’t find Spock next to me I sat up and looked around.

 

I found him sitting on a mat meditating…wearing a gauzy nearly see-through gray robe.

 

…and then my head started hurting.

 

How’s a man supposed to keep his blood pressure down with a vision like that in front of him?

 

Spock was up and by my side in a flash.

 

“Are you all right Leonard?” he asked as he placed his hands on my head.

 

“Yeah, yeah, that ah…that robe you’re wearing just got my blood racing” I said as he worked wonders on my head.

 

“I see” he said as his hands moved around my head.

 

“So do I” I said as my eyes drifted from his chest down to his legs - it caused a real bad pain in my head, but it was worth it.

 

“Leonard, you must be careful of your blood pressure” he said sternly as his hands went back to my temples.

 

“Spock, that’s never been easy to do around you, even before we got together…now it’s damn near impossible. Especially when you’re wearing something like that” I said, my eyes going down to his groin.

 

My pulse raced again, and again I felt a sharp pain.

 

“Leonard if you cannot control yourself better I may be forced to take drastic measures” he said moving his hands around my head again. “I may even be forced to blindfold you.”

 

Oh God, that thought had me conjuring up all kinds of wonderful fantasies.

 

My head throbbed with pain and my heart pounded like a hammer in my chest. Spock quickly placed a hand at the back of my head and the other on top of my chest. A few seconds later my heart was back to normal and my head started to relax.

 

“I’m sorry Leonard, I did not mean to frighten you” he said in a concerned tone as he sat down on the bed next to me.

 

“Trust me Spock that was the exact opposite of fear” I said breathlessly.

 

“…I don’t understand” he said with a confused look.

 

“The thought of you blindfolding me was arousing” I said, my breathing a little more under control now.

 

“How is the idea of being blindfolded arousing?” he asked, his eyebrows creasing in deep confusion.

 

“I’ll…uh…explain it when I feel better” I said trying to be cautious of my heart rate.

 

“Thankfully that will not be too much longer, you are responding to the treatments quite well.”

 

“If you say so” I said rubbing my forehead.

 

“Is there anything I can say to persuade you to eat something?” Spock asked gently as his thumb started stroking my collar bones.

 

“Say you’ll join me” I said with a small grin.

 

“I would be delighted, what would you like to eat?”

 

“Better play it safe and just get a bowl of soup” I said as I sat up slowly.

 

“Chicken soup I presume” Spock said as he helped me over to the table.

 

“Actually I think I’d prefer tomato soup if you don’t mind” I asked as I kissed his cheek before he gradually lowered me to the chair.

 

“As you wish” he said as he kissed my forehead.

 

He went to his closet and changed into a less revealing robe, put on some slippers and went down to the mess hall.

 

He came back a few minutes later carrying a tray of food…and following right behind him was Jim!

 

I quickly sat up and pulled my chair in so I was covered up by the table.

 

“Bones, how are you feeling?” he asked as he stood on the opposite side of the table.

 

“A little tired, but a lot better thanks to Spock” I said as Spock set the tray down in front of me.

 

“Glad to hear it” Jim said smiling now. “Spock’s been doing a fine job taking care of you then?” he asked lightly as he turned toward him.

 

“I wouldn’t put M.D after his name any time soon, but he’d make a fine orderly if he ever wanted to change careers.”

 

Jim chuckled at that and eventually cleared his throat.

 

“I hope your boyfriend doesn’t mind sharing you like this” he said to Spock.

 

A lump formed in my throat and I focused on an obscure spot on the wall.

 

“Boyfriend?” Spock said looking confused.

 

“Yes, the young man you’ve been dating…or is it too soon to say whether or not you two are that serious yet?” Jim asked trying to backpedal on his comment.

 

“I have not discussed the matter with him” Spock said in a neutral tone. “However I believe the discussion will be forth coming.”

 

I blushed at his cryptic words and wished that Jim would leave already.

 

“Well I hope that goes well for you Spock, but I suspect he would be honored” he said before turning his attention back to me. “And I hope to see you up and about very soon Bones.”

 

“You will, if I can ever get back to resting” I said in my most tactless tone.

 

“All right” he said chuckling, “I’ll see you two later” he said as he went out the door, leaving us alone again…only this time the tension was thicker between us.

 

“Would you like to join me and talk?” I asked as gently and mildly as I could.

 

“Only if you believe you are well enough and strong enough for such a conversation” he said looking at me carefully.

 

“I am” I said with a smile, trying my best to reassure him.

 

“Very well, I will only be a moment” he said as he took some replicator cards from his pocket and went over to make up his lunch.

 

He came back a moment later with some sort of Vulcan sandwich and salad.

 

We sat in a tense silence until I got so antsy I just couldn’t take it anymore.

 

“What’s on your mind Spock?” I asked as I stirred my soup.

 

“May I ask you a personal question?”

 

“Of course”

 

“What exactly is your idea of a boyfriend?” he asked looking curious.

 

“My idea of a boyfriend?...” that was a tough one. “A boyfriend for me is a man who you go out on dates with. Someone you’re dating exclusively, and someone you’re seriously considering having a long-term relationship with. I guess it’s the experimental phase before you decide if you want to make the relationship permanent” I said trying my best to explain it all in a way that he would understand.

 

At least I hoped it was in a way he would understand.

 

All I really knew about Vulcan relationships was what I learned from Spock on his ‘wedding day,’ and we really didn’t have time to get into details or ask about any other kinds of relationships on that day.

 

“Would you be interested in performing such an ‘experiment’ with me?” he asked softly. “To see if you are interested in making this relationship permanent.

 

My breath hitched…

 

Spock was thinking about making this permanent?

 

…Wait a minute…was I thinking about making this permanent? We had only been dating for a little over a week, were either of us ready for permanent?

 

One look at Spock and my heart fluttered…then I had my answer.

 

“Yes, yes I would” I said softly and breathlessly.

 

Spock took a hold of my hand and rubbed his thumb along my knuckles.

 

“Eat your soup ashal-veh, we have much more healing to do.”

 

“Anything you say _Doctor_ Spock” I said jokingly as he and I started eating.

 

<><><><><> 

 

I wish I could say the day only got better from there, but whatever Spock was doing to my head was no walk in the park…for either of us.

 

I was sore, exhausted and my head felt like it was constantly getting dizzy after every treatment Spock gave me.

 

And Spock wasn’t doing much better. He was moving stiffly from his meditation mat over to the bed when he would treat me, he was sweating a great deal, and he was starting to get dark circles under his eyes.

 

It was 20:00 when Spock gave me the last treatment, and 20:05 when we laid down next to each other on the bed totally exhausted.

 

“How do you feel ashal-veh?” Spock asked his voice sounding horse and thick.

 

“Tired and sore, but my head doesn’t hurt anymore…how about you? How do you feel?”

 

“I am tired, but I am grateful you are well again” he said as he took a hold of my hand.

 

I smiled and sighed with content as I closed my eyes and tried my best to relax against the bed.

 

“Hey, uh, what do you say we skip work tomorrow and stay in bed making mad, passionate love all day?” I asked chuckling.

 

It was a ridiculous idea, but a man could dream couldn’t he?

 

“I am unfortunately too tired to think about love making right now, however I believe I will contact Jim and let him know we will be late getting to our stations” he said as he released my hand and got up to go to his computer.

 

I tried stretching out my tight muscles while he as gone, but it didn’t seem to do anything. I was probably going to have to go down to one of the rehab rooms for a deep tissue massage some time tomorrow.

 

Spock came back a second later and laid down next to me.

 

“Jim will not be expecting us until after lunch” he said as he curled up next to me.

 

“That sounds good” I said as I wrapped my arms around him. “Plenty of time to rest and relax” I said with a yawn.

 

“Sleep well ashal-veh” he said as he pulled the covers over us.

 

“Good night darlin’ ” I said, and then I fell fast asleep again.

 

<><><><><> 

 

I woke up the next morning surprised to see Spock still in bed. He was usually up and dressed before I was. When I saw the clock read 08:00 I was even more surprised. Poor thing must have been really worn out if he was sleeping in this late.

 

I softly ordered the lights on 15%, bright enough that I could see him better, but not so bright that it would wake him. I laid there just looking at him, so relaxed and peaceful. No personnel to think about, no experiment to hunch over, and no ship to look after…Seemed a pity that he’d have to wake up eventually.

 

But he did wake up a few minutes later, his eyes focusing in on me as I smiled at him.

 

“Good morning beautiful” I said before kissing his forehead.

 

“Good morning ashal-veh” he said as he reached up and stroked my cheek.

 

I took a hold of his hand and kissed his palm. Spock moaned and goosebumps formed on his arm.

 

“Oh, liked that did you?” I asked with a devilish smile and then licked a line from his pulse point all the way up to the tip of his tallest finger.

 

“Leonard” he gasped and rolled his hips up against me.

 

“My, but you do have sensitive hands don’t you?” I teased just before I sucked his entire thumb into my mouth.

 

He whimpered and whined as his other hand gripped my hip. I released his thumb and slid my tongue between his first two fingers. He practically screamed at the sensation.

 

Oh, this was going to be fun…

 

I got up and straddled his hips as I sucked on his fingers one by one. I sucked, nipped and licked along the sensitive appendage as his other hand rubbed and massaged my hip and ass. When I was satisfied that I had covered every inch of his hand I let go of that one and switched my attention to his other hand.

 

While I was sucking on the fingers of his hand I could see his other hand reaching for the side drawer. He pulled out a bottle of lubricant. He set it on top of the side table, pumped a generous amount into his hand and started spreading it around my hole. I moaned around his thumb and held tightly onto his wrist.

 

He eventually pulled his thumb out of my mouth and started to insert his pointer finger up to the first knuckle, and then his other finger moved to enter my hole up to the first knuckle too!

 

Slowly, very slowly, he entered me from both ends with those long, firm fingers of his until he was all the way in. He gradually began pumping his fingers in and out of me as I moaned, whimpered and squirmed around his fingers.

 

Soon after he added a second finger into my mouth and ass, gently stretching me open until he could pump in and out of me with ease. While he was doing that one of my hands moved around until I was playing with his nipples one minute and then enjoying the points of his ears the next minute.

 

Not long after that he added in a third finger and I was starting to go nuts. I could tell I wasn’t going to last much longer so I wrapped my hand around both our cocks, stroking along them easily because of all the pre-cum we were dripping, and I slid my fingers along his lips until he sucked them into his mouth.

 

It was amazing! His fingers stretching and thrusting into my hole as I pumped our cocks together at lightning speed, all the while we moaned around each other’s fingers, our tongues swirling around the digits with abandon.

 

Sure enough the stimulation became too much for the both of us and we came at the same time.

 

Spock’s fingers slid out of my ass and our fingers slid out of each other’s mouths with a pop. I climbed off of him and dropped down beside him like I was made out of jelly.

 

We laid next to each other panting, me with a large smile on my face, and Spock looking wonderfully dazed.

 

“Wow” I said gasping as my heart rate went back down to normal.

 

“…Agreed” Spock said sounding just as winded as I did.

 

“Wanna shower?” I asked, my head falling to face him more than turning.

 

Spock turned toward me and his eyes skimmed over my naked body.

 

“Yes” he answered simply.

 

He took a hold of my hand and led us toward the bathroom.

 

We took our time showering, slowly soaping each other’s bodies and kissing lazily as the hot water ran down our skin.

 

We stepped out and slowly dried each other off before we went to the closet area to get dressed.

 

“We have enough time to eat before we are due to report to our stations, care to join me?” Spock asked as he put his boots on.

 

“Sounds good to me” I said happily. “I feel like I could eat five or six meals in one sitting.”

 

“Shall we then?” Spock asked as he went over to the door and stood by waiting for me.

 

We walked down to the mess hall, our hands held behind our backs and our skin glowing from the morning activities.

 

“Meet me in my cabin for dinner tonight?” Spock asked softly as we walked.

 

“I’d be delighted sir” I replied, my accent growing thick. “Maybe we could have some finger food” I suggested with a sly smile.

 

Spock stopped dead in his tracks, blushed a dark green and stared at me with wide surprised eyes. I winked at him and then went into the mess hall…wishing beyond belief that I was on my way to dinner with Spock right now instead of lunch as I waited for him to catch up with me.


	13. Boys and their Toys

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This one is pretty long but it is basically a lot of small stories put together
> 
> Warning: This chapter contains two explicit scenes, both of which include adult toys.

Spock and I got our lunches together and Jim called us over to his table.

 

“Bones, glad to see you looking like your old self again” he said as we sat on either side of him.

 

“So am I” I said as I took a large bit of my sandwich.

 

“How are you today Spock?” Jim asked turning to him.

 

“I am quite well this morning, thank you” Spock said as he gave me a heated glance.

 

Damn but that man really knew how to send my blood pressure into orbit.

 

“And your young man?” Jim asked with a sly grin.

 

“My boyfriend is also quite well this morning” Spock answered, this time avoiding any eye contact with me as he blushed.

 

“Glad to hear it” Jim said beaming.

 

“You been getting along okay without us?” I asked with a mischievous grin.

 

“We’ve been managing fine” he said as he sipped his coffee. “Of course the silence has been deafening” he said with his own mischievous grin.

 

“I’ll bet” I said around another bite of sandwich.

 

“I for one cannot wait to return to my station and experiments” Spock said as he sliced into his…whatever that red stuff was he was eating.

 

“Oh, by the way Starfleet just radioed in to tell us that we’ve been approved for shore leave on Caldonia. We’ll be in orbit within the day.”

 

“Well seems I’ve recovered just in time” I said chuckling.

 

“Odd how that happened isn’t it?” Jim said laughing with me before he turned back to Spock. “I’ll need a list of the shore leave parties by the end of the day.”

 

“Yes sir” Spock said instantly becoming the efficient first officer that he was.

 

“Are you going to be going on shore leave this time Spock?” Jim asked as he finished up his pasta salad.

 

“I will be taking full advantage of my shore leave on Caldonia yes” Spock said stoically.

 

“He has a boyfriend now, remember” I said with a sly smile.

 

“I know, you actually have some incentive this time around don’t you?” Jim said in a teasing tone. “What do you have planned?”

 

“My family has a small property on the planet in the southern hemisphere. It is quite lovely this time of year and I believe my boyfriend would find it very enjoyable.”

 

My cheeks turned red and my skin started tingling at the thought…Spock and I alone in our own little place for a few hours, maybe even a whole day! Good Lord but that sounded heavenly…

 

“Spock you Vulcan Don Juan” Jim said in mock accusation. “Dating a man for barely a week and already taking him to a love nest for shore leave” he said with a scandalized tone…and a huge grin.

 

“Don Juan, if I recall correctly spent a great deal of his time seducing a multitude of women. I am interested in only one man, therefore I find your comparison totally erroneous” Spock said flatly.

 

“I know Spock, I was just teasing. I look forward to seeing your name down for shore leave for once. I’ll see the two of you later” he said as he gathered his tray for recycling and made his way back to the bridge.

 

Once I saw that no one was paying attention to us and no one was approaching our table I started asking Spock about this property of his.

 

“So tell me, what’s this little place on Caldonia like?”

 

Honestly all I needed was a bed if I was going to be alone with Spock, but maybe the property  had something interesting for us to do in between beaming down and running off to bed.

 

“It is a small two bedroom cottage in a wooded area near the Baltovan Mountains.”

 

“Oh, that sounds nice. What’s the weather like this time of year?”

 

“It is their summer season so it is rather warm, but the trees make a nice shaded area around the cottage so you should not be uncomfortable.”

 

“Is there a clearing on the property?” I asked as my mind started coming up with a plan.

 

“A small one, why?”

 

“Is it big enough for a picnic?” I asked with a smile.

 

Spock’s eyebrows lifted in comprehension.

 

“Yes I believe so” he answered.

 

“I could whip us up a picnic basket before we go down” I offered.

 

“There is no need, the cottage is a twenty minute drive from a rather large city. We could order something from one of the restaurants there and then have a nice drive out to the cottage with a rented hover car” he suggested.

 

“That sounds even better” I said getting excited now.

 

“Perhaps we could even find time to make use of a bottle of lubricant afterward” he said in a hushed tone that had me shivering.

 

“Keep talking like that and I’ll need a cold shower before I go to my office.”

 

<><><><><> 

 

Well I didn’t have a cold shower but the paperwork at my desk sure did the trick…I read so many reports and test results my eyes were crossing by the time I left.

 

I had to stop by my cabin before going to Spock’s for dinner, I was running out of supplies over at Spock’s cabin and I didn’t want to go stealing his soap and toothpaste from him. Luckily I kept some travel supplies in my cabinet so all I had to do was stuff a few things in my pockets and sneak down to his place.

 

Thankfully everything I took didn’t make my pockets bulge too much; even the extra toothbrush I brought along could hardly be seen. Unfortunately I couldn’t smuggle down a change of clothes as easily, but if I had Spock wake me up early enough I could sneak back over to my quarters and change before breakfast.

 

I found Spock waiting for me with the table set for dinner and a small flower in his hand.

 

“The forget-me-nots are blooming in the botanical gardens” he said as he handed me the small cutting of blue flowers.

 

I breathed in their lovely scent and then leaned in to give Spock a deep kiss.

 

Spock took a hold of my hips and pulled me close to him…and then he pulled back when my toothbrush jabbed him in the hip.

 

“Oh, sorry Spock, here” I said handing him back the flower. “Put these in some water, I’ll be right back after I put my things away” I said walking off to the bathroom.

 

“What things?” Spock asked curiously.

 

“Just a few things from the medicine cabinet, the ones I brought along before are almost empty. And you felt the toothbrush to replace the old one” I explained as I emptied my pockets. “By the way, would you mind waking me up early tomorrow? I’ll need to sneak back over to my cabin for a change of clothes” I said as I sat down at the table.

 

“Leonard, may I offer you a proposition?” he asked sounding nervous.

 

“Course you can” I said as I started eating.

 

“You may refuse if you wish, I know our relationship is fairly new, however I believe my suggestion would be mutually beneficial.”

 

“What’s on your mind Spock?” I asked curiously.

 

“What would you think about sharing our quarters?”

 

“…What do you mean?” I asked a bit confused.

 

“If we moved half of my belongs to your closet and half of your belongings to my closet, then we could spend time in either cabin without concerning ourselves about changing the next morning. And since everyone will be gathering supplies for shore leave we can go down and retrieve duplicates of our toiletry items without arousing the suspicion of the quartermaster. That way we can visit each other and maintain our own respective areas for privacy or solitary contemplation while eliminating the need to carry supplies or clothing back and forth every few days.”

 

I thought that over for a moment, and…it actually sounded like a perfectly ‘logical’ solution.

 

“If the idea is not appealing to you I quite understand…” he began, but I placed my hand over his and stopped him.

 

“I think that sounds like a great idea” I said smiling.

 

Spock in turn took a hold of my hand and brought it up to his lips for a small kiss, the simple gesture sending waves of excitement through my whole body.

 

This man was going to make me develop a hand fetish at this rate.

 

“Well I guess now for the million credit question – how do we do it?” I asked.

 

“I believe we can take advantage of the shore leave” he went on. “We have been cleared for three days and three nights of shore leave. The standard procedure is to have one-third of the crew down on the planet for one day and night while the other two-thirds remain on board until the next morning when the next party is ready to beam ashore. That means for the next three days at any given time one-third of the crew will be down on the planet and the crew left aboard will either be sleeping in preparation for the later shifts or off and about their respective tasks.”

 

“Which means we have three days’ worth of opportunities to sneak our things from one cabin to another” I said catching on to his plan.

 

“Precisely, we will have an abundance of time to rearrange our things without being noticed.”

 

“When do you think would be the best time?” I asked excitedly.

 

He thought that over for a moment before answering.

 

“Mr. Scott is on leave tomorrow, leaving Jim to man the bridge while I am in charge of the engine rooms” he explained.

 

“I knew you knew a lot about engines and propulsion systems, but I didn’t think you knew enough to take over for Scotty” I said surprised.

 

“I unfortunately do not, Lt. Schmidt will more or less be in charge of the engines. I will be there to look after the crew and make sure they are not…‘day-dreaming’ I believe was how Mr. Scott put it.”

 

“That makes sense, I know when my staff hear ‘shore leave’ they start acting like a bunch of co-eds getting ready for spring break.”

 

“And you are not as excited as they are?” he asked with a dubious look.

 

“Well…to be honest I am a little more excited for this one than others” I said as I slipped one of my boots off and slid my toes from his ankle up to the back of his knee.

 

“Leonard, please do not do that while I am planning a covert operation” he said in a lovely growl.

 

“Whatever you say darlin’ ” I said as my foot slid back down his shin to the tip of his boot before retracting it back. “You were saying?” I said as I took my other boot off and made myself more comfortable.

 

“I’ll be watching the staff in engineering” he said sounding breathless, but then started sounding much more normal as he went on. “Jim will be on shore leave the next day leaving me in charge of the bridge. I took the liberty of putting our names down for the last day.”

 

“Sadistic tease, making me wait two whole days before I get you all to myself” I said teasing him.

 

“I’m afraid that’s how it worked out. Besides I thought you would enjoy the extra time to plan our get away, after all we will have 24 hours to ourselves and we cannot spend every second in bed after we have our picnic.”

 

“We could try” I said with a devilish smile as my eyes ran over his lovely face and chest.

 

“As I was saying” he said as he cleared his throat. “I will be in engineering tomorrow and on the bridge the following day. I believe that if we pack up my belongings tonight we could bring them down to your cabin in the morning, since you will need to be up early anyway. Then we can spend the evening packing up your belongings and unpacking my things in your cabin. That leaves unpacking your things in my cabin the evening after that, then when we go on our shore leave we can relax and enjoy ourselves without having to concern ourselves with any packing or unpacking on our return.”

 

“Sounds perfectly logical” I said with a teasing smile. “So you want to get started after dinner?” I asked feeling even more excited than before.

 

“I would be delighted” he said as his bare foot slid up and down my leg.

 

And then all of a sudden I wasn’t in that big of a hurry to go anywhere or do anything but enjoy the feel of his leg sliding along mine.

 

<><><><><> 

 

It was actually a lot of fun going though Spock’s clothes. The uniforms were no surprise, but going through his robes – all the different colors and textures, that was a thrill. Not to mention it was fun to hold his clothes up and tell him how I’d like to see him wearing this or that for dinner dates.

 

We had just finished folding the last of his clothes, zipped up the bag and laid it down on the floor so Spock and I could lay down together, and then we huddled up next to each other, our arms wrapping around each other easily and naturally.

 

“Is there anything else you want to bring along with you…Books, scientific articles, anything like that? I can clear you off a shelf or two for you” I offered.

 

“I thought we could bring back your chess set, but honestly since I have not visited you in your quarters I thought we could leave it just the way it is. Obtain information about you from your surroundings as it were” he said as he stroked idly along my back.

 

“That’s right, you haven’t been to my cabin have you – not for a proper visit anyway. Well we’re going to have to change that, my Mama would hate to hear I’ve been neglecting my manners” I said as my accent grew thicker. “I’ll tell you what let me make the evening real special for ya tomorrow, what’s your favorite meal?” I asked with a big smile.

 

“All of my meals are nutritionally balanced, to prefer one over the other would be illogical” he said in a neutral tone.

 

“Well why don’t you be logical and narrow down my list of choices then” I said sarcastically…with a mischievous smile.

 

“You may select whatever you wish from my nutrition cards, I honestly don’t pay much attention to food when I am around you” he said as he slid a hand down my hip and along my thigh.

 

“Spock, only you could give an answer that’s as vague as it is sexy” I said chuckling before I leaned in and kissed him. “How about flowers for the table, any particular variety you’d like to have?”

 

“I am growing quite fond of blue varieties…they remind me of your eyes” he said as he stroked my cheek.

 

“Jim was right, you are a Vulcan Don Juan” I said in a steamy voice.

 

We started kissing and stroking each other. Beginning slowly with a simmer and then gradually becoming heated and arousing. Spock had just rolled on top of me, his hips rolling on my groin suggestively…when the Boson whistle at his desk startled us into pulling apart.

 

Spock sighed heavily as he climbed off of me and out of the bed.

 

“Hold on” I said as I got to my knees on the bed and pulled him closer to smooth out his hair. “Okay” I said as I smoothed the wrinkles out of his uniform.

 

Spock nodded his thanks and went over to his desk.

 

It was Scotty wanting Spock and Lt. Schmidt to meet with him for a last minute briefing before he left in the morning. Spock said he would be down in a few minutes before turning off the computer. I grabbed his boots for him and handed them over to him as he turned around.

 

“I am sorry ashal-veh” he said as he slipped his boots back on.

 

“Don’t give it another thought” I said as he stood up. “After all I’m a doctor I’ll be apologizing to you for having to rush off before you know it” I said as I wrapped my arms around him.

 

“I will try not to be long” he said as he embraced me in return.

 

“Take your time Spock, I’ll be happy to keep the bed warm for you” I said lustfully.

 

Spock…dipped me…actually dipped me and gave me a deep searing kiss.

 

“I shall be as expedient as possible” he said as he tilted me back up and went rushing out the door.

 

I stood in the middle of the room with a huge smile on my face feeling light-headed and breathless for a wonderfully long time.

 

As soon as I was back to normal I stripped down, washed up and turned the lights down low so I could watch something while I waited.

 

I decided to watch an hour long mystery, laying in his bed and breathing in his scent as I waited for him, his soft pillows making me anxious to feel his soft skin under my hands all over again.

 

<><><><><> 

 

I must have fallen asleep during the show. One minute I’m watching the police interrogate one of the suspects and the next minute I felt Spock crawling into bed with me. I reached out and pulled him close to me nuzzling against his neck.

 

“I’m sorry Leonard, I did not mean to wake you” he said wrapping his arm around my waist.

 

“That’s all right” I said my voice rough from sleep. “I wanted to kiss you good night” I said as I leaned up and gave him a soft kiss.

 

“Good night Leonard” he said as he pulled the covers up and settled his arm back around my waist.

 

“Good night Spock, don’t forget to wake me up early tomorrow” I said with a yawn.

 

“I have already re-programed the alarm, sleep well my ashal-veh.”

 

“I will now” I murmured before I drifted back to sleep, Spock’s rhythmic breathing relaxing me as I slept.

 

<><><><><> 

 

I was pleasantly surprised when I was woken up by kisses instead of an alarm.

 

Spock started off gently kissing my neck and within minutes was ravishing my neck and cheeks.

 

“Now that’s the second best wake-up call I can think of” I said as I stretched under Spock’s warm body.

 

Spock sat up and quirked an eyebrow at me.

 

“Second best?” he said in an inquisitive tone.

 

“Well if you were further south you’d be giving the best kind of wake-up call now wouldn’t you?” I said with a wicked smile.

 

“Perhaps, but if I was doing that we would be late.”

 

“Good point” I said as I sat up and got out of bed. “Just let me brush my teeth and put my uniform on and we can get going” I said, the excitement causing me to perk up faster than my coffee.

 

While I was getting dressed Spock got his bag together along with my chess set and then went over to the door to check the halls.

 

“The halls are clear” he said softly. “I believe it would be best if I led the way. My ears are more sensitive than yours and my night vision is better than yours as well.”

 

I nodded in agreement and then we slowly made our way to the turbo-lift.

 

My heart was pounding all the way from Spock’s quarters to mine and when the doors slid shut behind us I let out a sigh of relief.

 

Thank God I was a doctor and not a spy…my heart couldn’t take the strain.

 

Spock laid my chess set on my desk and placed his bag at the foot of my bed. I walked up behind him and wrapped my arms around his slim waist.

 

“Want to join me for a shower darlin’?” I asked before nibbling on his ear.

 

“As delightful and tempting an offer as that is I’m afraid I will have to decline, I promised Jim that I would help escort Mr. Scott to the transporter chamber.”

 

That made me chuckle.

 

“Scotty doesn’t leave his baby behind too easily does he?” I said as I tried my best to stop laughing.

 

Spock turned around in my arms and wrapped his arms around my neck.

 

“The emotional attachment and personification you humans give to inanimate objects is illogical” he said flatly.

 

“Yes it is,” I said, my laughter finally dying down “but in Scotty’s defense the inanimate object he’s attached to is the only thing keeping us alive up here.”

 

“True” he acknowledged with a nod. “And I suppose I would rather have him more anxious about the ship and its maintenance than rushing down to the planet for his shore leave.”

 

I nodded in agreement with that. Considering Scotty was in charge of the machines that kept us breathing I’d want him more focused on his job than anyone else on the ship.

 

“Do you have to go right away then?” I asked hoping I could have him to myself for just a few more minutes.

 

“Afraid so, I have to tie the computers at my station into the computers at the engineering monitoring station, and shortly after that I will be meeting with Mr. Scott to escort him to the transporter.”

 

“What about breakfast?” I asked as I kissed his jaw.

 

“I’m afraid I agreed to have breakfast with Jim the other night” he said as he ran one of his hands through my hair.

 

“Doesn’t sound like I’m going to be seeing you until tonight” I said in a resigned tone.

 

“I believe so” he said regrettably.

 

“All right then I’ll see you tonight with a nice candle light dinner for just the two of us” I said with a promising smile.

 

“I will be looking forward to it” he said as he kissed me gently.

 

“Have a good day down in engineering, and uh…try and take it easy on the crew. Shore leave doesn’t come around for us as often as it should so you’ll have to forgive them for being a little more exited and cheerful than usual” I said my hands moving to rest on his hips.

 

“I shall endeavor to give them a little more leeway than normal” Spock said in no hurry to move towards the door.

 

“Oh, and uh, try to compliment Lt. Schmidt on how good a job he’s doing every once in a while” I suggested. “You intimidate the hell out of him and a show of confidence in his work might go a long way toward making him relax.”

 

“I thought he always acted differently around me than Mr. Scott.”

 

“Intimidated by higher ranking officers” I explained.

 

“I see” he said nodding in understanding. “Very well, I will do what I can to put him at ease.”

 

“Thank you” I said as I kissed him again.

 

Spock deepened the kiss and held me more firmly. After a while we both came up for air and Spock looked at the clock.

 

“I have to go” he said and finally released me. “Until tonight my ashal-veh” he said before kissing my hand and going out the door.

 

He was definitely going to give me a hand kink. And with that final thought I went off to take a shower…a cold shower.

 

<><><><><> 

 

I had just lit the last candle and put a vase of forget-me-nots on the table when Spock came walking in.

 

“Hello beautiful” I said as I walked over and kissed him. “I got you some breaded Vulcan eggplants with that pasta and blue sauce you like.”

 

“It smells delicious” he said, but by the way he was nuzzling my neck I couldn’t tell if he was talking about the food or my cologne.

 

“I thought we could sip on some champagne while we re-arrange the closet” I said as I slid my hands up to his shoulders to pull him closer to me.

 

“That sounds delightful” he said as he rested his forehead against mine.

 

“Good, I know you won’t get anything out of the alcohol but I thought you might like the fizz.”

 

“Yes, I find it much more enjoyable than your sugary carbonated beverages, what are they called again? Soda pop?” he said sliding a hand along my back.

 

“Not one for sweets Spock?” I asked curious for future reference.

 

“I usually only partake in sweets on special occasions” he answered. “My tastes usually run along the lines of savory” he said as he fondled my hips and ass causing me to moan. “Could I possibly convince you to skip dinner?” he asked as he began to kiss along my jaw and neck.

 

“Oh no” I said pushing away from him. “Jim and I didn’t see you in the mess hall for lunch, which means you either had nothing but a protein bar at your station or skipped lunch entirely. We’re eating” I said in a serious tone as I pulled him over to his seat.

 

“Yes ashal-veh” he said in a slightly disappointed tone.

 

“Besides I want to hear about your day” I said a little more gently.

 

“It was routine, but pleasant” he said as he started cutting into his food. “The crew was rather cheerful and talkative, but they performed their tasks well. And I took your advice and commented on Lt. Schmidt’s performance. I said to ‘keep up the good work’ and he was much more relaxed in my presence the rest of the day.”

 

“Good” I said with a proud smile. “What were you doing on your lunch break that you couldn’t be bothered with food?” I asked my smile turning from proud to teasing.

 

“I was using the ships computers to make use of some of the ordering services on the planet. Food, cleaning supplies, and I rented a hover car for the duration of our stay. Before I knew it my lunch break was just about finished and I just had enough time to retrieve a protein bar and return to my station.”

 

It warmed me deep down to know that I wasn’t the only one excited about this trip.

 

My day wasn’t as exciting, all I did was get hypos ready in case someone became ill after shore leave.

 

The odds of anyone getting ill on Caldonia were pretty slim, but there was usually one or two crew members who were a little more sensitive to the food and water than others, and then of course with all our technology and advancements in medicine there was still no cure for the common cold.

 

After that Spock talked about his plans for tomorrow, which unfortunately included waking up early to see Jim off so we wouldn’t be able to have breakfast together. But we did have the whole night ahead of us.

 

After dinner we opened a bottle of champagne and went over to my closet. We emptied out half of my clothes and then two of my drawers, just like we did in his quarters, except this time he got to look through my clothes and say which ones he liked best.

 

There didn’t seem to be any pattern to what he chose, no real color he favored more than others, no style or texture that he seemed drawn to.

 

“How about this one” I asked holding up my favorite green button down shirt and black trousers. “I was thinking about wearing this for dinner during our trip.”

 

“It is nice, but you needn’t bother to bring it down on the planet with us” he said as he hung up the last of his robes.

 

“Why not?” I asked wondering if he didn’t like it for some reason.

 

“I suspect I will become…spontaneous a number of time while we are alone together, in which case I would prefer your attire to be easily removed at a moment’s notice. The many buttons on your shirt do not fit within that criteria, nor do I wish to ruin your favorite outfit. Therefore I believe it would be best to leave it here on the ship.”

 

That’s when I looked over at the clothes he was favoring more than the others…and then I noticed that all the things he was picking out were easy to slip on and off. No buttons on the shirts, pants and shorts that could all be worn without a belt…

 

“Spock it absolutely amazes me how you can be so practical and so sexy all at the same time” I said as I held onto him and brought him in for a deep kiss.

 

The kisses grew more heated and passionate as we held each other. Finally we broke apart panting and gasping for air.

 

“You wanna fuck me Spock?” I asked, the lack of oxygen making me feel bold and needy. “You wanna bury that big cock of yours deep inside me?” I asked wantonly as I latched onto his neck.

 

I was becoming absolutely ravenous at the thought of his ridges gliding across my prostate…but all the heat drained out of me when Spock pulled back with a serious look on his face.

 

“Leonard, ashal-veh, can we talk?” he asked as he sat down on my bed.

 

I got worried from that tone.

 

“If you’re not into that sort of thing it’s alright” I said hurriedly. “We can just keep doing what we’ve been doing.”

 

“On the contrary, I would like nothing more” he said as he pulled me down to sit next to him, rubbing my hand soothingly as he spoke. “I find the idea of being so intimate with you enjoyable…however I have never done anything like that to a man before.”

 

“Did you ever try anything like that with a woman?”

 

I really didn’t want to know about Spock’s past lovers, but I needed a starting point.

 

“The women I was with never expressed interest so the subject never came up” he replied.

 

Knowing that I was Spock’s first in something was thrilling to no end…but I had to stay focused.

 

“Relax Spock” I said smiling gently and rubbing one of my hands along his tense shoulders. “I’m a doctor remember? I can talk you through this, I can even recommend some reading material if you’d like” I said a little jokingly to make him relax and a little seriously because…he’s Spock, he’d probably like research material.

 

“I have actually done quite a bit of reading on the subject since we became intimate.”

 

Why didn’t that surprise me? I thought with a smile.

 

“However reading and researching about such things is different from…performing them” he said as his cheeks darkened.

 

“I know what you mean” I said honestly and reassuringly. Spock seemed to relax after that so I decided to go on. “So is it just a lack of experience that’s been stopping you?” I asked gently.

 

“That…and I do not want my lack of experience to cause you any harm” he said as he tightened his hold on my hand.

 

I couldn’t help but lean in and kiss him for those sweet words. When I pulled back I rested my head on his shoulder and smiled at him.

 

“Well now I think I have a few ideas that could work for us” I said once I felt him relax next to me. “You could either enter me, very slowly, inch by inch until you’re all the way in” I said in a husky voice. “Or you could lie flat and I could mount you so that I could take you at my own pace and you can just sit back and enjoy the ride” I said with a lewd smile as I rubbed my thumb along his hand.

 

“I believe I would be more comfortable with the last option, if that is all right with you?” he said breathlessly.

 

“I think I’d like that too” I said almost purring as I started kissing him again.

 

Our kisses grew more and more heated as our hands explored and our tongues danced. Spock’s hands had just reached the hem of my shirt when I heard the Boson whistle at my desk.

 

“Damn ship’s conspiring against me” I muttered disgruntledly under my breath as I went over to my desk. “McCoy here” I said agitatedly as I turned on the intercom.

 

“Nurse Chapel here Doctor” Christine said hurriedly before I heard a man give a loud yelp of pain in the background. “There was an accident down on the planet sir” Christine explained over the noisy patients. “A couple of the men on shore leave took a bad spill down a ditch and landed in a field full of cacti. They’re all covered in cactus needles and we could use an extra pair of hands down here.”

 

“Let me guess you can’t give them any tranquilizers because they’ve been sampling the local alcoholic beverages for the last couple of hour’s right?” I said as I crossed my arms and waited for her reply.

 

“Yes sir.”

 

Typical…every shore leave something strange happens. At least this time around it was happening to someone else.

 

“We can get the large needles just fine,” Christine went on “but they’re covered in thousands of fine needles too and we can’t get them to hold still for very long. Can you come down and help us?” she pleaded.

 

“Tell you what, I’ll do you one better. I’ll come down there and teach you youngster a trick I learned from an old doctor in Arizona before Starfleet transferred me off planet. Call down to supply and have them get these supplies ready – a box of tongue depressors, a whole bunch of linen clothes cut into strips and a case of hair removal wax.”

 

“A case of what?” she said in total disbelief.

 

“A case of hair removal wax” I repeated “warm it up and have everything ready when I get down there, in the meantime keep working on the larger needles and I’ll be down as soon as I change back into my uniform.”

 

“Yes Doctor” she said as she signed off.

 

I could hear her questioning my sanity all the way from her station.

 

“Hair removal wax?” Spock asked curiously as I went to my closet to change.

 

“Yeah, the needles are so small and fine they’re almost like hair. The wax latches on to the needles so when we apply the linen strips we can get a whole section of them instead of one at a time” I explained as I dressed.

 

“Fascinating” he said with a raised eyebrow.

 

“And effective” I added as I slipped on my last boot and turned around to kiss him. “I told you I’d be apologizing for rushing off before you knew it” I said regrettably.

 

“A pity you had to be proven correct so soon” he said as he stroked my cheek.

 

“Ain’t it though” I said as I gave him one last kiss. “Make yourself at home darlin’ I’ll be back in a jiff” I said as I walked out the door and made my way down to sickbay.

 

<><><><><> 

 

There were four men standing naked near the exam tables covered in red needles and surrounded by medical personnel when I came through the doors.

 

The men were shouting and yelping in pain as the staff pulled needles out of their flesh, the men trying their hardest not to squirm or move so they wouldn’t embed the smaller needles any deeper into their skin…and failing.

 

“Doctor your supplies are ready” Christine said as she came walking over to me.

 

“Thank you” I said to her before I turned my attention to the staff. “Okay everyone pay attention” I called out as the staff all turned to me. “Dr. M’Banga how many small needles can you pull out in say…thirty seconds?” I asked as I took a small jar of melted wax and a tongue depressor.

 

“It depends on how much the men struggle, but I’d say around twelve” he answered as I applied some wax to the forearm of one of the men standing closest to me.

 

“Well this should speed things up” I said as I smoothed the linen strip against the wax, trying not to press against the needles too hard as I did. “And it shouldn’t hurt as badly either” I said before I yanked the linen off the patient’s arm along with the wax and needles.

 

My patient (who was a rather large, well-built man) squealed in pain and then let off a litany of four letter words before quieting down again.

 

“What was that you were saying about ‘not hurting as badly’ Doctor?” Geoffrey said with a playful smile.

 

Lousy brats always liked it when I was wrong…

 

“Well at any rate it’s a whole lot faster” I said holding up the strip and showing all the needles it had taken off. “All right everyone, grab a jar and get to work” I ordered as I started spreading wax on another part of my patients arm.  

 

<><><><><> 

 

Well the wax did speed things up, but by the time we finished removing the needles, got them disinfected, ran the dermal-regenerator over the wounds and checked them over for tetanus it was two hours later. The clock at my desk read 21:30 and all I wanted to do was get back to Spock.

 

I was just about to go into my quarters when I ran into Jim in the hall. 

 

“Bones, I was just coming to get you” he said as he came up to me. “How about coming up to my quarters for a drink? We can talk about our shore leave plans while we play some gin.”

 

As great as that sounded all I really wanted to do was go lay down with Spock…but I couldn’t tell him that could I?

 

“I’d like to Jim, but I’m feeling worn out tonight” I said letting my eyes shut half way to give me a tired look. “How about a rain check for after my shore leave when I have more of a chance of winning against you?” I asked with a small grin.

 

“You got it Bones. Sleep tight” he said giving me a friendly slap on the back as he walked off towards the turbo-lift.

 

Once the doors to the turbo-lift closed I ducked back into my quarters and locked the door, letting out a huge sigh of relief as I did.

 

“Are you all right Leonard?” Spock asked as he got up from my desk.

 

“Yeah, just had a close call there” I said as I came over and wrapped my arms around him. “Jim almost came walking into my cabin before I met him in the hall…he could have found you” I said with a nervous laugh.

 

There was a tense pause before Spock spoke up again.

 

“Would it be so terrible if he did discover me, if he found out?” He asked softly as he slid a hand along the small of my back.

 

I thought that over for a minute, the idea was appealing in a way…but…

 

“A part of me wants to tell him about us…about how happy you make me, I’d like to tell him so I wouldn’t have to keep anything from him” I said as I lost myself in those beautiful eyes of his.

 

“And the other part?” he prompted.

 

“The other part of me worries what it’ll do to him and our dynamic. Something like this could affect his command decisions. Plus, if you don’t mind me being honest there are times when he comes to me for a second opinion on ideas that you have” I said as gently as I could. “I don’t want him to think that he can’t come to me for help or even just to talk now that we’re together.”

 

Spock considered my words and nodded.

 

“I too have been concerned about how such a revelation would affect his command decisions” he said as he rested his forehead against mine. “I did not take into consideration how it would affect him personally. I do not wish to be an obstacle to his mental and emotion well-being, and I do not wish to be a hindrance while he is in command.”

 

“So, we’re agreed then?” I asked dejectedly.

 

“Yes, for the good of the ship we must remain discreet” he said sounding resigned and noble at the same time…making me shiver all over.

 

“For the good of the ship” I said flatly as I rested my head on his shoulder.

 

I knew something like this would happen if I stayed in Starfleet long enough, having to choose between what was best for me and what was best for the ship.

 

“It’s a shame though,” I said with a smile “I would’ve loved to have seen the look on Jim’s face when we told him that we were together” I said, the mental image making me chuckle.

 

“It would be quite the shock to him” Spock said all too seriously, which made me laugh even more.

 

Spock stroked my cheek and then guided my chin up so I was looking at him.

 

“Now where were we before we were interrupted?” he asked looking down at my lips.

 

“I believe we were about to have some fun” I said with a wicked smile.

 

“Ah yes, speaking of having fun, I found some interesting items in your side drawer.”

 

I knew which drawer he was talking about and I blushed a dark red.

 

“I was wondering if you would be interested in making use of some of them” he said before kissing me heatedly.

 

“I thought you and I were going to…” I began to say before Spock stopped me.

 

“I was actually hoping we could wait to do that when we are on the planet. I want us to take our time and I wish to have the opportunity to enjoy every sensation. Being on the ship will not allow us the desirable amount of time, and I get the impression it will not allow us the privacy we need” he said as he stroked my back.

 

“Good point” I said remembering how quickly and easily we were interrupted in just the last few days. “So…anything in particular catch your eye when you looked in that drawer?” I asked as I slid my leg along his.

 

“I thought I would let you take the lead and do whatever pleases you.”

 

Now there’s a reply to get the blood flowing.

 

With a wicked smile I led him back to the bed and wrapped my arms around him as I gave him a hard, passionate kiss.

 

“Well now, what had you going through my drawers in the first place?” I teased as I started to take off his clothes.

 

“I was going to put my reading PADD in the side table to charge so I would not take up the surface area on top” he said as he started taking my clothes off. “Your top drawer was full so I went down to the next drawer, and made an interesting discovery.”

 

“Would you like to see how they work?” I asked excitedly.

 

“I am most curious and eager to see” he said before latching onto my Adam’s apple.

 

We quickly got rid of the rest of our clothes and I had Spock lay in the center of the bed. I opened up the drawer and looked over my options. I decided one of the vibrators I had would work best. I chose a little egg shaped device that fit in the palm of my hand that was attached to a controller by a long cord.

 

“Ever seen one of these before?” I asked as I held it up for him to see.

 

He looked at it for a moment and then recognition dawned in his eyes.

 

“I believe on of my former girlfriends had something like it.”

Sorry I asked.

 

“However hers was pink instead of black and hers was cordless” he said as I turned the vibrator on to the lowest setting.

 

“Wanna see why I enjoy the cord so much?” I asked as I straddled him.

 

He nodded and laid back with his hands just above his head, letting me have access to very single inch of him.

 

I took a hold of the cord and dangled the vibrator just above his collar bones. His breath hitched and his pupils dilated as he looked up at me.

 

I moved the vibrator down to the center of his chest and slowly started to swinging it from one nipple to the next, reveling in the sight of his skin pebbling with goose bumps and his nipples tightening into peaks.

 

His chest was rising and falling as he gasped for air, his head rolling back against the pillow, giving him a deliciously ravished look.

 

I decided to increase the torture and hung the vibrator over one nipple as I lapped and sucked at the other. After a while I switched places with the vibrator and played with his other nipple. Back and forth I went until his chest and hips were rolling under me non-stop.

 

I finally sat up and slowly moved the vibrator down his abs and hovered it over the head of his cock. Spock let out a deep almost primal moan as his hands flew down to grip the covers on the bed.

 

“My God you are gorgeous” I said as I switched from swing the vibrator back and forth over the tip to swinging it in circles all around his head and glands. The muscles in his abs contracted as his back arched and he took a sharp intake of air through clenched teeth.

 

Round and round his cock I went, watching as his cock leaked pre-cum and his balls contracted up and down, my mouth watering at the sight. I finally moved down to kneel between his legs. I took a hold of the vibrator and placed it behind his balls before pulling his cock into my mouth.

 

The sound he made when I did that was almost deafening and for a second I wondered if I should get up to put up the sound proofing…but I was far too content and focused to leave.

 

I started slowly bobbing my head up and down his cock, enjoying the way the vibrations made him dance along my tongue. Up and down I went, faster and faster, the pre-cum dripping down my throat making me leak just as bad. I finally adjusted myself so I was pumping my own cock in time to the rhythm of my mouth, Spock moaning desperately above me the entire time.

 

After a few minutes I felt his cock swell up slightly and his balls contract.

 

“Leonard, Leonard I’m close” he warned as his hips started moving more franticly.

 

I focused my attention on the head of his cock as I pumped my own cock more quickly. He no sooner came down my mouth when I came all over the covers.

 

I licked him clean and then sat up and turned off the vibrator, Spock laying against the bed as if he was boneless.

 

“You wait here darlin’ I’m going to get a washcloth and a clean blanket” I said as I kissed his hip and crawled off the bed.

 

“What about you ashal-veh? Don’t you want release?” he asked as he sat up on his elbows.

 

“Afraid I beat you to it darlin’ ” I said showing him my deflating cock.

 

“Pity, I was hoping to taste you again” he said as I pulled out a fresh blanket.

 

“There’s always tomorrow” I said with a wink as I laid the blanket at the foot of the bed.

 

I went into the bathroom, cleaned up and got a warm washcloth ready for Spock. When I came back and saw his eyes closed and his features relaxed and peaceful I thought he had fallen asleep. But then his eyes opened and caught sight of me, and I couldn’t help but smile.

 

His features remained neutral and stoic, but his eyes were hooded and hazy with passion. As I moved closer and closer they turned from passionate to predatory, and his muscles tightened as if he was ready to pounce.

 

Once I was close enough he took me by the waist, rolled me onto the bed and climbed on top of me, kissing my neck desperately as he did.

 

“Do we have to wait until tomorrow?” he asked as he started kissing my jaw.

 

“Do you have to be up early tomorrow?” I asked as I fondled one of his ears.

 

He sighed heavily as he looked at me and nodded.

 

“That answers that then” I said as I started cleaning his stomach.

 

He hissed in discomfort as I got to his cock and balls.

 

“Looks like you’re a little too sensitive to go on anyway” I said with a pleased smile.

 

“Apparently” he said in a strained voice as I continued to clean him off.

 

“Lay down beautiful” I said as I gently tapped his hip.

 

He slowly got off me and laid down on his side, stretching out his long lean body and sighing with contentment as he sank against the covers.

 

I got up and tossed the washcloth down the laundry shoot before going over to the climate controls to make the room more comfortable for him. When I came back Spock had pulled the dirty cover off, put the clean one on, and was waiting for me to join him in bed.

 

We curled up together, kissed good night and fell asleep holding on to each other as everything in the universe disappeared…everything… except for us.

 

<><><><><> 

 

Spock wasn’t next to me when I woke up, but he did have a fresh cup of coffee waiting for me on my desk with a small note that said…

 

Good morning ashal-veh

 

All these nice little things he did that made me smile – If Spock wasn’t careful he was going to make me fall in love with him…

 

That was an unnerving thought.

 

Falling in love with a man who wanted nothing to do with emotions…and yet for all the emotions I’ve shown over the years he still wanted me, and all the emotions I’ve shown since we got together didn’t seem to be phasing him at all…

 

Still, love…I think it was always going to be an unnerving idea no matter who your partner was.

 

I looked at the small card again and smiled. I had no idea how long any of this was going to last, but I was determined to enjoy every second of it…and if I fell in love…well I guess I’d just have to pray that fate was kinder to me the second time around.

 

<><><><><> 

 

I took an early lunch break to go down to my quarters so I could take my bag of clothes up to Spock’s quarters when I knew the halls would be deserted…but I took something out of my bottom drawer and hid it in my bag before going.

 

Can’t hurt to have a little something fun stashed away in his quarters just in case.

 

Sure enough the halls were deserted and I made it up to Spock’s quarters with no problems. Once I placed my bag off in a corner I snuck back down to my office without anyone being the wiser. There was a message on my computer from Spock when I came back.

 

‘Meet me in my cabin at 19:00 for dinner?’

 

‘Sounds great’ I replied ‘Do you want me to pick up the food?’

 

‘That would be appreciated, thank you’ he answered.

 

‘I’ll see you then’ I replied with an excited smile as I went back to work.

 

<><><><><> 

 

Spock was running a little late.

 

I figured that’d happen, him being the one in charge for the day and all. So I decided to put my clothes away while I waited for him. I was just hanging up my last uniform when he came in.

 

“I apologize for my tardiness” he said as he locked the door. “The crew wishes to put in as many requisition forms as possible while we are in orbit and capable of resupplying the ship.”

 

“I understand, other than that how did your day go?” I asked as we sat down to eat.

 

We talked, we ate, we held hands…it felt so comfortable…so right.

 

“Did you finish unpacking?” he asked once we had taken care of the dirty dishes.

 

“Just one more thing” I said with a deep blush, my nerves making my hands shake as I pulled it out of the bag.

 

It was a seven inch long silicone dildo that was as black and shiny as his hair. It wasn’t as long or wide as his cock, but I thought using it tonight would make him less nervous about tomorrow.

 

“Wanna play?” I asked with a wicked and spirited smile.

 

“This will not harm you?” he asked as he moved closer to me, looking between me and the toy with a hesitant look.

 

“Not with plenty of lubricant and some long fingers to help me apply it” I said intertwining my hand with his.

 

“I am at your service ashal-veh.”

 

“Come here lover” I said as I laid on the bed and pulled him down on top of me, kissing him fiercely and passionately as his hips started to roll against mine.

 

We stripped out of our uniforms, our mouths barely leaving each other as we did. Spock got the lubricant out, slicked up his fingers and started sliding along my crease.

 

I took the lubricant next, spread some all over my hand and started to pump his cock as he gently inserted the first finger. My hand moved in time with his hand, slowing as he slowed and speeding up as he sped up as one finger turned into two and then three. By the time he had the third finger in me we were moaning and gasping with abandon, and I wasn’t sure if we were even going to get to the toy…

 

Course with hands like his I couldn’t care less…

 

But eventually he removed his hand and started putting lubricant on the toy. I shifted my legs to give him better access and reluctantly released his cock as he shifted lower between my legs.

 

“Are you ready?” he asked as he lowered the toy and pressed the tip against my entrance.

 

“Yes” I breathed out as my head rolled against the pillow and my hands clutched the back of my knees.

 

He slowly and carefully inserted the long shaft inside me, the stretching it caused feeling wonderfully familiar and amazing.

 

In no time at all it was all the way in and I could feel Spock’s fingertips resting against my heated skin.

 

“How do you feel ashal-veh?” Spock asked as he gently ran his hand along my inner thigh.

 

“Wonderful” I said breathlessly. “Can’t wait until it’s you though” I added as I slid my finger along one of his ears.

 

Spock’s breath hitched as his eyes rolled back into his head. The next thing I knew he had swallowed my cock to the hilt and I was gripping the sheets for dear life.

 

I was so stimulated I nearly came then and there, but I eventually calmed down and enjoyed the wet heat of his mouth with the long shaft moving along my prostate.

 

His mouth and hand sped up as time went on, the pace growing wild and intense, and when I felt his free hand pinching one of my nipples I came down his throat with a scream.

 

My legs and arms were shaking like crazy, and I was seeing spots when I opened my eyes. Spock was kissing his way up my abs and chest, but my skin was buzzing so much I could hardly feel him until he was kissing my neck. He rubbed against me lazily and I thoroughly enjoyed the weight of his body pressing along mine.

 

I could feel his cock was still hard and I brought my hand down to wrap around his swollen flesh. I slid my thumb along his slit and glans and then I felt him gripping my shoulders with shaky hands. He came on my hip and thigh a second later, and then we collapsed heavily against each other and the bed.

 

We ran our fingers all along each other’s backs and kissed softly as we gasped for air. Spock recovered first and went to the bathroom to get a washcloth to clean us up with.

 

“I can’t wait for tomorrow” I said in a raspy voice thick with passion. “I can’t wait until that’s you.”

 

“Neither can I my ashal-veh, neither can I” he said as he kissed me.

 

We fell asleep not long after that, and I had wonderful dreams about all the things we were going to do on shore leave. 


	14. Their First Shore Leave

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This one is all about their first shore leave together
> 
> Warning: there are two explicit scenes in this chapter including anal sex and...it isn't really a food fetish but food does play a part in one of the scenes.
> 
> Edited and updated 1-12-19

Spock and I woke up early, packed up for our trip and got all the supplies we needed from the quartermaster – including the extra things we needed for each other’s cabinets.

 

I was a little surprised that we were able to eat breakfast and make it down to the transporter room without getting called to sickbay. Usually Jim was getting into some sort of trouble by now.

 

Spock and I were waiting for Jim to beam up now. Course with us in civilian clothes we cast a very casual look to the normally formal surroundings.

 

For the first time in a long time when Jim beamed aboard there wasn’t a scratch or bruise on him and his clothes were still intact.

 

“Welcome aboard Captain” Scotty said with his usual smile.

 

“How was your stay Captain?” Spock asked as Jim stepped off the platform.

 

“It was fantastic, just what the doctor ordered.”

 

I chuckled at that joke like I always did and made my way on to the platform.

 

“Is your boyfriend already down there waiting for you Spock?” Jim asked trying to get information out of him again.

 

And from the sounds of it I think he had a sneaking suspicion he had an idea who Spock’s boyfriend was…

 

“He is anxiously awaiting me” he answered completely unfazed.

 

For a man who didn’t lie he sure had this deception thing mastered like a champ.

 

“Come on Spock, let’s get out of here before something happens to the ship” I said only half joking…

 

It’d be just my luck if something did happen at this exact moment.

 

Scotty and Jim laughed at that as Spock picked up his bag and stepped onto the platform.

 

“Your two enjoy yourselves down there” Jim said smiling.

 

“Energizing” Scotty said still chuckling.

 

The transporter room disappeared and a bright planet appeared before me. A lavender colored sky was above us, white stone buildings and roads where all around us, and the streets were crowded with all kinds of aliens and species from across the quadrant. Caldonia was quite popular in the summer for traveling and the fall when the leaves on the trees turned into every shade of blue you could imagine.

 

The Caldonians themselves were humanoid with dark skin, pure white hair, and the darkest amethyst colored eyes of any species we knew of. The streets were so crowded I could only spot a few Caldonians at a time, but from the looks of it most of them were minding the stores and shops along the street.

 

“Would you like to wait here while I retrieve the hover car?” Spock asked as I turned to him. “It will give you a chance to look around before we leave for the cottage.”

 

“Sure” I said excitedly. “I’ll watch the bags” I said as I took his bag from him, our hands brushing together…both our breathes hitching at the contact.

 

“I won’t be long” Spock said breathlessly as he walked off in the direction of a parking lot at the end of the street.

 

I turned my attention to all the different shops, trying my best to get my blood pressure back to normal…and that’s when I saw it in one of the shop windows…a chess set, a beautiful flat board chess set. The white squares and pieces the same color as Spock’s pale skin. The dark ebony pieces and squares the same color as his hair, and there was an intricate band of gold around the edges that reminded me of the gold flecks in his eyes.

 

It would look great in Spock’s quarters…and then a thought occurred to me – why not get it for his quarters? It’d be easier then smuggling my set back and forth all the time, and if anyone asked we could just say I got it for him as a ‘thank you’ present for helping to fix my head after we came back from the Mirror universe.

 

I stepped into the shop and bought it for 150 credits, which wasn’t bad for a handmade chess set inlaid with real gold from the mines of the Jairus Mountains just north of here, and it came with a matching case too. I had it gift wrapped and walked back out to the main street.

 

I no sooner took in a breath of fresh air when Spock pulled up to the curve in a silver hover car.

 

“What did you find on your outing Leonard?” he asked as he popped open the trunk.

 

My name on his lips in public – not Doctor or McCoy, no formalities, no protocol or rank – it had me feeling lightheaded and relaxed all at the same time.

 

“A gift for you” I said as I helped him put the bags in the trunk.

 

“You did not have to do that ashal-veh, time alone with you is more than adequate a gift for me.”

 

That answer had me feeling warm straight down to my bones.

 

“I wanted too…besides we’ll get a lot of use out of it.”

 

Spock looked at me, his eyebrows high and his cheeks dark.

 

“Not that kind of use Spock” I said chuckling. “It’s a chess set” I explained as I closed the trunk.

 

Spock’s cheeks returned to normal, but his eyes roamed over my body for a moment.

 

“Are you positive it is not for that kind of use?” he asked as his gaze settled on my legs…which caused me to remember the last chess game we played.

 

“Well…when you put it that way…” I said as my focus went from the curve of his ears down to the wonderful curve of his legs. “Let’s get going Spock” I said in a low whisper full of heat as I stepped closer to him.

 

“Yes” he said breathlessly before he got in to the driver’s seat and started the engine.

 

I got into the passenger seat, hoping my engine would cool off long enough to endure the drive.

 

<><><><><> 

 

After picking up the food and cleaning supplies we drove up to the cottage, my hands sliding along Spock’s thigh the entire way.

 

We parked in front of a beautiful cottage with white stones, black shudders and door, and surrounded by wildflowers of all different colors. Off in the back a large lush forest was just begging to be explored and beyond the trees was an expanse of mountains with the peaks disappearing in the clouds.

 

We unpacked the food in the fridge, except for the things we were bringing on the picnic; we left the cleaning supplies in a closet near the kitchen and left our bags in the larger bedroom on the bed that was covered in a large handmade white quilt.

 

Spock took the basket while I carried the blanket and led us out the back door, past a patio and eating area off to where the forest began. He led me down a path with trees that had nearly turquoise colored leaves, the shade a welcome retreat from the sun that was now overhead and growing hotter.

 

At one point Spock surprised me by taking a hold of my hand.

 

“I thought Vulcans weren’t allowed to touch in public” I said stunned.

 

“We are not in public, we are on private property with no one around for many miles” he said as he pulled me closer and wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me in for a very brazen kiss.

 

I smiled and nuzzled his neck before we went on walking down the path, our arms around each other’s waists as we enjoyed the sounds of the birds around us.

 

When we came to the clearing it was beautiful – the same wild flowers that were growing around the house were growing everywhere the light shown and gave the air a wonderful scent around us. Spock led me over to a flat grassy spot under one of the trees where we laid out the blanket and sat down to eat.

 

We had fruit, cheese, crackers, vegetables with dip, cucumber sandwiches, and some biscuits and honey for dessert. Spock talked about his trips here as a boy and all the different things they would do as a family. I talked about the fields behind my grandparents’ home, how this place reminded me of their place in Georgia and all the things I used to do there when I was young.

 

We fell into silence after that and started kissing each other. I was just starting to kiss along his neck when I got a delicious idea…

 

I took a bite from one of the pieces of fruit and then slid the fruit along his ear and neck, the juices shimmering along his skin.

 

“Leonard what are you…?”

 

Before he could finish his question I latched onto his ear and started licking the juice off of his sensitive tip all the way down to the hollow of his throat, Spock moaning desperately as I did.

 

Spock laid back on the blanket and undid the snaps on his robe. We each parted long enough for him to remove his black undershirt and so I could grab another piece of fruit. This one I spread along his collar bones and along his chest, licking and sucking on his flesh like a starving man.

 

By the time I got to his navel I switched from the fruit to the honey. While I licked the honey from his midsection I undid his pants and pushed them down to his knees, his cock brushing along my chin and neck as I did.

 

I put two drops of honey in the hollows of his hips, enjoying the sounds he made as I licked and nipped at the sensitive areas. I moved down further and drizzled some honey on his engorged balls and started sucking the honey off as I rolled each one around in my mouth.

 

“Leonard, I am close” he said in a strained tone.

 

I moved up and sucked his cock into my mouth, the salty tang of his cum made for an interesting contrast to the honey.

 

A few more minutes of this and I was swallowing his cum down my throat until he was completely clean and his cock started deflating. I finally released him from my mouth and he pulled me up for a kiss. He pulled my shirt over my head and rolled me onto the blanket, unfastening my pants as his tongue all but claimed me.

 

He released me and grabbed a piece of fruit offering it to me. I took a bite and he started spreading the juices along my neck and jaw. On and on he went, the cool juices making my skin shiver until his warm tongue licked them away. He played with every inch of skin he could get that hot mouth and talented tongue on. He switched over to the honey when he reached my hips, moaning as he licked the sweet liquid from my hips and groaning as he sucked the honey off of my thighs.

 

Spock then made his way up to my cock and sucked me in deep as he massaged my balls in his hands. I was so wound up and turned on that I came almost instantly. Spock licked me clean and then came up to lay next to me as we kissed, thoroughly enjoying the way our tongues mingled together.

 

Sometime later we got up, put our clothes back on, picked up all of our things and started walking back to the cottage, holding hands as we went.

 

“Is there anything else in particular you would like to do while we are here?” Spock asked as we walked.

 

“I just want to see the sunset, and be up early enough to see a sunrise” I said smiling. “Sunrises and sunsets are different on each planet and they lose something when you watch them on a holo-video or holodeck.

 

“I agree” he said as he kissed my hand. “Weather permitting you shall have your sunrise and sunset ashal-veh.”

 

Good Lord but this man really knew how to make my heart race…and he was one step closer to giving me a hand kink every time he kissed my hand like that.

 

<><><><><> 

 

After we put away the picnic supplies we changed into some shorts and sat outside soaking up some sun as we relaxed in a couple of lounge chairs…after we spent close to a half an hour rubbing sunscreen on each other.

 

It was nice and quiet outside, until we heard the interstellar radio give off a whistle similar to the intercoms on the _Enterprise_.

 

Spock hummed curiously as he went to go see who it was.

 

He was gone for quite some time and I began to wonder if anything was wrong. When I saw that I was almost out of Caldonian lemonade in my glass I went inside to get more…and to listen for any sign of trouble.

 

I poured the green liquid in my glass and it sounded like Spock was just finishing up a conversation with a woman.

 

“You two have a good time” she said in a pleasant voice.

 

“We will Mother thank you. You and Father have a safe and pleasant trip to Altair VI” Spock replied stoically.

 

“We will dear thank you. You have a pleasant stay as well” she replied back and then Spock turned off the radio.

 

“That was my Mother” Spock said as we went back out to the patio. “She and Father saw that the power to the cottage had been activated and she wanted to make sure it was me and not a trespasser” he explained as we made ourselves comfortable again.

 

“Did you ah…tell her about me?” I asked recalling that she used the phrase ‘you two’ and Spock had said ‘we will.’

 

“I mentioned that I had a boyfriend with me, but I did not go into too much detail.”

 

“Why not?” I asked nervously.

 

“My Mother has a tendency to be overly protective of me and thus makes in-depth inquiries into my romantic interests. I did not want her to go and inquire about you or your past and have it influence her opinion of you before she meets you.”

 

He wanted to introduce me to his parents?!

 

Wait…what about my past didn’t he want her to know about?

 

“Is there something about my past you’re worried about her finding?” I asked worriedly.

 

“Not at all, in fact you look quite good on paper, I’m actually concerned my Mother will be suspicious of you simply because you present so well, she may believe you are… ‘too good to be true’ I believe is the Earth expression.”

 

“Maybe I look perfect on paper because I am perfect” I said looking all too pleased with myself…hoping he’d take the bait.

 

“I’m rather impressed you managed to look perfect on paper, I didn’t think you had the disposition to accomplish such a thing” he said rising to the bait almost too quickly.

 

“Didn’t your Mother ever teach you not to insult someone holding a drink?” I said as I took a sip.

 

Let’s see him talk his way out of that one…

 

“From what I have seen today, I believe you would spill a drink on me with or without provocation simply so that you could take your time licking me clean.”

 

I love a smart man…especially one who catches on real quickly.

 

“Well Spock I can’t argue with that one” I said chuckling.

 

“A pity you made that statement when I did not have a recording device handy” he said flatly.

 

I stopped laughing and stared at him wide eyed.

 

“Something wrong?” he asked looking concerned.

 

“Spock…you made a joke” I said shocked beyond belief.

 

“I did?” he said looking confused.

 

“Yeah, it was pretty funny too.”

 

“I did not mean to be humorous, I was actually being quite serious” he said still trying to figure out what happened.

 

“I’m a bad influence on you already darlin’ ” I said as I leaned back smiling an extra-large smile, trying my best not to laugh at his expression.

 

<><><><><> 

 

It was pretty late in the day when we went back in and got dressed so we could start cooking dinner. Spock and I were having fettuccine alfredo with steamed broccoli and blueberry tarts for dessert…well as close to fettuccine alfredo and blueberry tarts as we could with Caldonian ingredients. I worked on dinner while Spock worked on the dessert, each of us tasting each other’s food and saying whether we wanted more this or that…Spock’s hands resting on my waist when he had to reach past me to grab something, me making an effort to whisper how good everything looked as I held his hips.

 

Once dinner was finished and the tarts were warming in the oven Spock suggested we go eat outside so we could watch the sunset while we ate. After we brought our plates outside Spock went back in and brought out a bucket of ice, a bottle of wine and two glasses. We talked about everything from books and movies to work and experiments until the sun started setting. Spock and I brought our empty plates inside and brought out the tarts.

 

“Isn’t that beautiful?” I said watching the sun go down behind the mountains, turning the sky a lovely shade of pink.

 

“I have never seen it look better” Spock said as he took a hold of my hand and looked at me with meaning.

 

I felt my cheeks turn the same color as the sky and Spock’s hand encircling mine made me feel like I was the center of his world all over again.

 

When we were finished with our desserts and the stars began to appear over the mountains we went back inside. Our dishes no soon hit the counter when Spock took a hold of me and kissed me hungrily. I stretched and rubbed against him, our cocks growing hard as we kissed. Spock was the first of us to break for air and then he led me down the hall to the bedroom.

 

I gasped when we got to the room as Spock dipped me for a deep searing kiss. We got undressed quickly and then slowly walked our way to the bed. I landed on the bed first and Spock followed after me without our lips parting for a second. My legs wrapped around his waist and our hips rolled against each other, the friction making me eager and impatient.

 

“I want you ashal-veh” Spock said before he started kissing my neck.

 

“Want you too” I said breathlessly. “Lubricant?” I asked hoping it was close by.

 

Spock kissed me one last time and then rushed to his bag. He came back with a bottle of lubricant and I spread my legs open for him.

 

“Get me ready Spock?” I begged more than asked as I squeezed my cock hoping that I would be able to last.

 

He slicked up his fingers and pressed one inside me before leaning down to kiss me. He started nice and slow and I was begging for more in no time. He put more lubricant on his fingers and slid two in to the hilt, the tips of his fingers hitting my prostate as he moved.

 

“Love your hands” I said as he scissored his fingers inside me.

 

He kissed me deeply and I brought my hands up to play with his ears, causing him to moan against my lips. When he inserted the third finger his mouth played with my nipples as I played with his ears. He took a hold of my cock at one point, but I had to brush him away.

 

“Too close, too close” I said in a husky voice as my hips rolled into his touch.

 

His hand moved up to stroke my cheek instead and I licked his fingers, gently coaxing them into my mouth.

 

After a few minutes of this I gently pushed him back.

 

“Now Spock, want you now” I said as his fingers slid out and I moved over so he could get on the bed.

 

I slid my fingers along his back, and legs as he crawled to the center of the bed. He laid flat on his back with his arms above his head.

 

“Like this?” he asked softly.

 

“Beautiful” I said as I kissed him so deeply he was panting when we parted.

 

I took the lubricant and poured some in the palm of my hand and over his cock. I stroked along his cock and he gasped as he gripped the quilt and sheets. I stilled and gently squeezed his cock waiting for him to recover. He finally nodded his head and opened his eyes to look at me, his eyes glazed over and his pupils blown out with passion. I slowly moved along his cock, trying to coat him more than arouse him, his chest rising and falling with heavy breathes. I leaned over and gently kissed his collar bones as one of his hands tangled itself in my hair and his other hand slid along my back and ass.

 

“Now Leonard, please” He said in a shaky voice.

 

I released him so I could straddle his hips. It had been a long time since I’d done this – way too long – but once I guided his cock to my entrance and he got past the first circle of muscles I slid down him real easily. I was sitting on his hips in no time enjoying the look of sheer ecstasy on his face.

 

Spock’s eyes fluttered open and he lifted his hands to caress my cheeks, his hands going down my neck and sliding along my chest. When he moved along my waist and hips, my hips rolled into the touch causing us both to moan.

 

I had to move, I had to feel him. Easing up and down nice and slowly so my body could savor that stretch. I gradually picked up the pace as his hands traveled over my heated skin, my hands rested on his strong chest and shoulders for support as our gasps and moans filled the room.

 

It didn’t take long for those ridges of his to drive me wild as they went along my prostate. Before I knew it my balls were tightening and my back was curving. I came all over his chest and stomach as my ass pulsed and quivered around his cock. A second later Spock grabbed onto my hips and came inside me as his whole body shook and his lungs gasped for air.

 

I leaned down and kissed his cheeks and jaw while I waited for his breathing to return to normal and his body to relax.

 

When the last waves of ecstasy washed over him, his hands slid from my hips down to my thighs lazily as his eyes slowly opened. He looked utterly debauched, his eyes unfocused, his muscles lax and his whole body covered in sweat. I leaned in and nuzzled his neck…he even smelled debauched, all musky and warm.

 

I wanted to keep him this way forever.

 

I felt his cock going soft inside me and we slowly moved until he gently left me, and I moved my legs out from under me so I was laying flat against him. Spock reached behind me and started massaging my ass and back, carefully working the tight muscles and knots until I felt boneless.

 

“We should go clean up” Spock said in a voice that was so relaxed he almost sounded sleepy.

 

“A long hot shower does sound pretty good” I said sounding just as relaxed as he did.

 

It took us a while but we finally got up enough energy to get out of bed and made our way to the bathroom. We washed and cleaned each other slowly making sure we got every inch. We kissed lazily and gently as we dried each other off. When we got into bed Spock held me close, making me feel safe and secure even though we were in a strange bed. And I fell asleep without a care in the world, except for the man sleeping next to me.

 

 

<><><><><> 

 

 

I woke up early the next morning when I noticed the empty spot next to me. It was still dark out so I turned on the table lamp and went looking for my bathrobe.

 

I found Spock in the kitchen making me some coffee and boiling some water for himself to make tea. His back was to me as he stood over the sink washing the dishes from yesterday. I walked up behind him wrapping my arms around him and breathed in his scent.

 

“Good morning ashal-veh” he said softly.

 

“Good morning beautiful” I said as I kissed the back of his neck.

 

“You may go back and rest if you wish. The sun will not be rising for another hour” he offered as he continued scrubbing a pot in the sink.

 

“Bed wasn’t the same without you” I said as I picked up a towel and started drying the clean dishes in the rack.

 

We finished just as the coffee and tea were ready. We left our drinks on the counter to cool and we went to get dressed to go outside, Spock looking lovely as he bent over to put his pants on.

 

“I never get tired of seeing you like that” I said as I put on my shirt and stood back to enjoy the view.

 

“Hmm?” Spock hummed as he put on his boots.

 

“You, bent over your experiments, bent over your station on the bridge, and now bent over putting on your clothes…it makes me want to do all kinds of wild and corrupt things to you” I said as I sat in his lap and kissed him.

 

We pulled apart and rested our foreheads together as we gazed in each other’s eyes.

 

“You are welcome to express those ‘corrupt’ ideas whenever you wish, and  I will tell you whether I am in favor of them or not…of course given how agreeable your ideas have been so far I can’t imagine denying you anything” he said as he ran his hand down my legs. “Come along now ashal-veh, I promised you a sunrise” he said as he led me outside, his hand never leaving mine the entire time.

 

<><><><><> 

 

After we watched the sun rise we had breakfast, finished cleaning up the rest of the cottage, locked everything up and drove back to the city.

 

“I think it’d be better for me to go up before you” I told him as he parked along the main street. “That way if Jim askes you can honestly say that your boyfriend beamed up before you and keep everyone from figuring out that it’s me” I said as I stepped out of the car.

 

“A logical precaution” he said as I got my bag out of the back seat.

 

“And if anyone asks, the chess set is a gift for helping fix me after we came back from the Mirror universe. See you back on the ship Spock” I said as I leaned in the window and gave him a good once over.

 

“Indeed you will” he said as he looked me over closely himself.

 

I stood back and stepped up on the sidewalk, watching him drive off with a big smile on my face. I pulled out my communicator, beamed back aboard the ship, and was grateful Scotty and Jim weren’t there.

 

I went down to my cabin, dropped off my bag, changed into my uniform and went back up to the bridge. And that’s when I saw why Scotty and Jim weren’t near the transporter room – Scotty was talking to a young Caldonian woman who was wearing a special visitor’s pass from one of the engineering universities from the planet.

 

If someone was top in their class and passed all of the Starfleet background checks they were allowed to have a tour of the computers and engine rooms on a Starfleet vessel if there was one in orbit over the planet.

 

And Jim was off to the side talking to a Caldonian man and women that had to be an ambassador and his wife.

 

Those highbrow types always had the same tense shoulders and ramrod straight backs that looked as unwavering as the convictions they stuck to.

 

I decided it was best to hang back and try to blend into the computer banks, so I leaned against Uhura’s station and started talking with her about what she did for shore leave.

 

Spock came in about then and went over to stand next to Jim.

 

“Ah Spock, allow me to introduce Ambassador Omy and his wife Ila” Jim said in introductions as the Ambassador, his wife and Spock all bowed in respect to each other. “And this is their daughter S’ama” Jim said as Scotty came over with the young Caldonian woman.

 

A family of distinguished guest, Scotty and Jim must have been busy this morning.

 

“I’m going to escort the Ambassador and his family to the transporter, you have the conn until I return” Jim told Spock as he went to the turbo-lift with the Ambassador and his family.

 

Spock went to sit in the Captain’s chair and I went to lean on the rail to wait for Jim to come back…and to take a few extra minutes to gaze at Spock before going back to work.

 

“How was your trip Mr. Spock?” Uhura asked as she handed Spock a form to sign.

 

“It was most pleasant, thank you. And yours Lieutenant?” he asked as he handed the now signed form back to her.

 

“I had a wonderful time, thank you sir” she said as she went back to her station.

 

“How was your get away there McCoy?” Scotty asked from behind me.

 

“Better than ever” I said giving Spock a quick glance before turning to look at Scotty over my shoulder. “How was your morning with the Ambassador and his daughter?” I asked curious about their visit.

 

“The young lass was a delight, very intelligent, but her parents were a might bit intimidating” he admitted with a nervous smile.

 

“Parents usually are, especially when they’re ambassadors” I said sympathetically as I turned back to Spock.

 

He turned to look at the screen with a strange far-away look on his face when I said that, but Jim came back just then and our attention was on him.

 

“Captain,” Uhura said catching his attention. “Transmission from Starfleet Command with new orders and our next mission sir.”

 

“Transfer it down to the briefing room Lieutenant” he said to her before turning to Sulu. “Prepare to leave orbit on my command Mr. Sulu, I’ll contact you from the briefing room with our next heading.”

 

“Aye, aye sir” Sulu said as he began pushing buttons.

 

“Bones, Spock, let’s get back to work” he said as he turned around.

 

Spock and I followed him to the turbo-lift and down to the briefing room, ready for another mission…or at least as ready as we ever are for another mission.

   

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried to play the story as if Spock doesn't talk about his parents too much so I made everything about Spock's parents a secret to McCoy until 'Journey to Babel'


	15. A Thousand Words

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is mostly an 'After Credits' story set after 'The Apple', but I did put in the first time McCoy ever won an argument...the rest is a surprise.
> 
> Warning: this chapter contains explicit content

As Spock sat on one of the exam table in Sickbay while I fixed up his back and chest I began to realize how truly miraculous it was that he made it back to the ship alive.

 

It was supposed to be a simple mission –

 

A Federation Scouting ship had passed by Gamma Trianguli VI and had gotten some strange readings. Starfleet wanted us to investigate and contact the inhabitants.

 

The planet was rather nice to start with. Calm weather, lush plant life, and Spock said the soil was perfect for growing just about anything…at least that was the non-Vulcan version of what he said.

 

And then the problems started.

 

Plants shooting poisonous barbs, exploding rocks – that was a new one. The ship was being drained of power and then trapped in a tractor beam, and then Spock…Spock was hit with those poisonous barbs as he pushed me and Jim out of the way.

 

My heart sank when the shot of Masiform D didn’t have any effect on him and he just laid there…motionless…

 

Thankfully he recovered…and then got struck by lightning the next day.

 

And then, on top of all that, we lost three men!

 

It’s a miracle Spock wasn’t one of them.

 

I ran the dermal-regenerator over his back one more time before running my hand along his skin to make sure I had fixed all the scars…and just so I could feel that he was alive and well, sitting in front of me to touch.

 

“You have been quiet ever since we returned to the ship Doctor” he said in a formal tone, all too aware that the staff could come walking in at any second. “Are you all right?” he asked, his tone soft and gentle this time.

 

“Yeah, it’s just…been a long day” I said a bit tiredly as I absentmindedly stroked his back.

 

“It was quite a tasking mission wasn’t it?” he replied as his shoulders relaxed under my touch.

 

“And you say _I_ have a talent for understatement” I said chuckling.

 

Nurse Abel walked in just then to collect the medical supplies and I immediately pulled my hand back as my features became more serious and somber.

 

“You’re good as new Mr. Spock, you’re free to go” I said as I walked around the exam table.

 

Once Nurse Able finished collecting all the medical instruments she placed them all out on a table and began waving the sterilizing wand over them – which meant if we wanted some privacy we were going to have to go to one of our rooms.

 

‘Our rooms’

 

That sent a thrilling little bolt of electricity clear down to my bones.

 

“I too have been reflecting on the day’s events” Spock said as he put his undershirt back on.

 

“Oh” I prompted…even though I suspected I wasn’t going to like what he had to say.

 

“I believe what we did on Gamma Trianguli VI was erroneous” he said as he straightened out his tunic and started walking towards the door.

 

“You have got to be kidding me” I said, my voice wavering between exasperation and disbelief.

 

“Do I take it from your tone that you do not quite agree with me?” he asked as I followed him out to the hall.

 

“I don’t agree with you at all Mr. Spock” I said now wavering between exasperation and full blown annoyance.

 

“That is not at all unusual Doctor” he replied.

 

That’s when I saw Jim walking our way.

 

“Hey Jim, I want you to hear this” I said catching his attention as he came down the corridor.

 

If Spock was going to keep trying to push the issue I wanted back-up.

 

“Captain, I’m not at all certain we did the correct thing on Gamma Trianguli VI” he said as we started walking with Jim.

 

“We put those people back on a normal course of social evolution. I see nothing wrong in that” I said in as neutral and professional a tone as I could – which considering the fact that I was right was easy enough.

 

“Well, that’s a good object lesson Mr. Spock” Jim said in his diplomatic voice. “An example of what can happen when a machine becomes too efficient, does too much work for you.”

 

Jim agreed with _me_ over Spock!

 

Hell must have frozen over…

 

“Captain, you are aware of the biblical story of Genesis?” Spock asked abruptly.

 

“Yes, of course I’m aware of it” Jim replied. “Adam and Eve tasted the apple, and as a result were driven out of paradise.”

 

“Precisely Captain,” Spock went on “and in a manner of speaking we have given the people of Vaal the apple, the knowledge of good and evil if you will, as a result of which they too have been driven out of paradise.”

 

Jim stopped and looked at me with a mock incredulous look on his face.

 

“Doctor, do I understand him correctly?” Jim asked rhetorically before turning back to Spock. “Are you casting me in the role of Satan?” he asked sounding more playful than insulted.

 

“Not at all Captain” Spock answered quickly, but I could tell Jim already had a plan of attack.

 

“Is there anyone on this ship who even remotely looks like Satan?” Jim asked as he circled Spock and waited for an answer.

 

I circled around to the other side of Spock too, not only to play along with Jim, but also to see how Spock was going to talk his way out of this one.

 

Spock looked between me and Jim before crossing his arms over his chest.

 

“I am not aware of anyone who fits that description Captain” he said with a straight face and an even straighter back.

 

“No Mr. Spock I didn’t think you would” Jim said with a barely suppressed smile as he walked off.

 

I walked to the end of the hall shortly after Jim and turned to look in the direction that he had gone. I saw him getting on the turbo-lift with a woman in a red uniform, the two of them wearing large bright smiles and talking happily.

 

Well that takes care of him for the night…Now to take care of me and Spock for the night.

 

When I saw that the halls were empty I turned around, gave Spock a good long looking over and winked at him. I went off in the direction of the turbo-lift and waited for him to follow me.

 

I got on to the lift and held the door for him. I would have loved to have had the space to ourselves so I could admire him on the ride up, but Chekov and Yeoman Landon ended up joining us before the doors closed.

 

Yeoman Landon ordered for deck 7 as Chekov wrapped his arms around her waist and laid his head on her shoulder, smiling a large content and goofy smile as he did. When we stopped on deck 7 they were walking off holding hands, the epitome of two young lovers without a care in the world.

 

I couldn’t help but smile fondly at them, remembering how I used to be like that when I was that young.

 

“Which cabin would you like to go to for the night?” Spock asked next to me.

 

“Which ever one’s closest” I said with a mischievous smile.

 

“That would be your cabin. Deck 3” he ordered the panel and off we went.

 

We got to my cabin, I waited for the doors to close and lock, I wrapped my arms around his waist and was just about to kiss him when…

 

“I still do not believe we did the right thing for the people of Vaal” Spock said, and my head fell to his shoulder in total disbelief.

 

Damn analytical mind of his never could let something go unresolved for more than a minute.

 

“Spock you have lousy timing” I said as I rubbed the bridge of my nose.

 

Okay, if we’re ever going to get to bed I’m going to have to try a different course of action.

 

“Okay, okay” I said crossing my arms. “Why don’t we look at this a different way” I said calmly…trying my hardest not to slap some sense into him. “Let’s forget about the inhabitants all together. What would have happened to the ship if we hadn’t destroyed that machine?”

 

He paused to think for a second.

 

“The ship would have either lost power and torn itself apart attempting to resist the tractor beam, or would have been pulled by the tractor beam into the planet's gravitational pull, causing it to crash on the surface” he replied.

 

“And considering that machine could control lightning storms and strike us dead at a moment’s notice, how long was it going to be before we had to destroy that thing in order to save ourselves?”

 

“…Most likely a matter of hours” he answered a little reluctantly.

 

“So, whether we did it for the inhabitants or to save ourselves and the ship that machine was getting decommissioned wasn’t it?”

 

“…Yes” he answered sounding slightly disinclined to admit it.

 

“Are we done? Can you focus on something else now?” I asked as I placed my hands on his shoulders and rubbed light circles on his collar bones with my thumbs.

 

“Yes” he answered, his eyes changing form focused and determined to soft and heated.

 

“Then shut up and kiss me” I said as I pulled him against me until our chests were pressed tightly together.

 

He tilted my head back and kissed me deeply, his tongue searching out mine. I brought one hand up to his jaw and slid it up to play with his ear, causing him to moan in my mouth. One of his hands slowly moved from my back to my ass as his other hand tangled itself in my hair. Spock’s hips rolling against mine causing my cock to come alive and take notice. We broke apart and he started gently licking and nibbling along my neck.

 

“I noticed you stayed extra close to me when we were down on the planet” I said with a big smile as I slid my hand down his waist to the front of his pants.

 

“Does that upset you?” he asked looking slightly nervous. “I meant no offense to your masculinity or capabilities” he said hurriedly.

 

“I rather liked it” I said as I kissed his jaw. “I also liked how you pulled me to safety during the storm” I said as I stepped back towards the bed and pulled him against me again.

 

I kissed him deeply and passionately as I undid the zipper on his pants. I kissed my way down to his nick as my hands moved up to the hem of his uniform when…

 

“Leonard, may I ask you something?” he asked just before my hands got to his waist.

 

“Does this have anything to do with Gamma Trianguli VI?” I asked gruffly as I looked at him with narrow eyes.

 

“No, no, this is concerning us” he said quickly.

 

“Oh, what is it?” I asked changing from annoyed to concerned in an instant.

 

“Does it bother you that we cannot touch in public?”

 

Where on Earth did that question come from?

 

“I don’t understand. I thought we agreed not to let anyone know about us” I said confused.

 

“I mean…when we decide to acknowledge our relationship to others, even then our touching in public will be restricted. We Vulcans show very little affection in public, and I don’t wish for that to become a point of contention between us.”

 

“…What do you mean darlin’ why would that bother me?” I asked getting more confused.

 

“I saw the way you looked at Ensign Chekov and Yeomen Landon in the turbo-lift and I do not want it to upset you that we could never be that intimate in public. Leila ended our relationship because of that very problem, and I do not want our relationship to end for the same reason.”

 

Oh, so that’s what this was all about.

 

“Spock,” I said gently as I rubbed the knots out of the back of his neck “I’ve been around Vulcans before and I’ve been working with you for years. I knew there wasn’t going to be any touching in public when I started dating you, and I’m okay with that. I mean, yeah, it’s a big adjustment for me, but it’s worth it…you’re worth it” I said as I pulled him down for a soft kiss.

 

That small kiss grew deeper and deeper until Spock and I were gasping for air when we parted.

 

“Are you sure Leonard?” he asked between breathes.

 

“Am I sure you’re worth it or am I sure I can handle this?” I asked as my vision came back into focus.

 

“…Both” he answered looking a little vulnerable and tense.

 

“Yes…to both” I said as I kissed him gently.

 

We stayed like that for a few minutes until I kissed my way down to his neck.

 

“Leonard…may I…may I ask you something?” Spock asked nervously.

 

I resisted the urge to sigh as I wondered if we were ever going to get to bed tonight.

 

“Of course Spock, what is it?” I asked distractedly as I started kissing the other side of his neck.

 

“May I take some pictures of you?”

 

“Sure” I said absently as I slid my hands under his uniform again. “We can find a private spot to do that tomorrow” I said as I ran my fingers along the curves of his back.

 

“I…I meant…pictures of you…nude” he said as he cleared his throat.

 

My mind screeched to a halt as I looked up at him in surprise.

 

“You mean…those kinds of pictures?” I asked as I pointed to the bed.

 

“Yes” he answered as his cheeks turned a dark shade of green.

 

“Spock, you never struck me as the type to keep dirty pictures around” I said with a wicked grin.

 

“I am not normally, no, but you are…special…and you are beautiful. I want photos that show off that fact. I want to have a collection of images of you as beautiful as you are now… I want photos of you that no one else will ever get to see or cherish as I am allowed to” he said as he stroked my cheek.

 

How is a guy supposed to say 'no' to that?

 

“Do you have a camera?” I asked as I kissed his palm.

 

Spock kissed me and then went over to the closet. He opened the top drawer of the dresser and pulled out a multi-media camera. It could take pictures, holo-images and holo-videos.

 

“How do you want me Spock?” I asked as a shiver ran down my spine.

 

“Do whatever you like ashal-veh, I know you will be stunning no matter what you do” he said as he got the camera ready.

 

“Do you want me on the bed?” I asked breathlessly as my heart pounded in my chest.

 

“Eventually, but there is certainly no rush” he answered.

 

“Figures you of all people would say there’s no rush to get into bed” I said chuckling as I took off my tunic.

 

I heard the camera click and all at once I was hyper aware of the fact that I was Spock’s entire focus and that there would be pictures to prove that fact the next day…It was exiting.

 

I turned around so I was facing away from him and started lifting my undershirt exposing my waist and back.

 

One…two…three clicks.

 

I held the shirt to my chest and turned around.

 

One click.

 

I held the shirt across my chest with on hand while the other hand slid down my midsection.

 

One…two…three…four clicks.

 

I dropped the shirt to the floor and leaned against the dividing wall.

 

One…two clicks.

 

Spock’s chest was rising and falling hard and fast.

 

I took off my boots and socks and then slowly unzipped my pants.

 

One…two clicks.

 

I leaned heavily against the wall and slid my hand inside my pants, taking a hold of my cock and giving it a firm squeeze.

 

One…two…three clicks.

 

Spock took a few steps so he was to the side of me instead of in front of me.

 

One…two clicks.

 

I slowly stroked my cock as my pants slid down my hips ever so slightly.

 

Spock walked around to the other side of the bed, pressed a few buttons on the camera and the little red light that signaled a video recording came on. Spock held the camera up with one hand while the other slid down his pants.

 

I squeezed my cock one last time and then slid my underwear and pants down to the floor, my eyes fixed on the camera hiding Spock’s face the entire time. I crawled on to the bed, knelt down, and started pumping my cock as I watched him do the same.

 

There was something wonderfully dirty about him standing there fully clothed while I sat on the bed totally naked for him and the camera.

 

I reached down to palm my balls and knew that I wasn’t going to last much longer.

 

“Want you…want you now Spock” I pleaded desperately as my hand sped up and down my cock.

 

Spock took his hand out of his pants, went over to the dresser and pointed the camera at the bed. He came back over and stripped down in front of me as the camera watched us. My heart was pounding so fast I was amazed my veins were keeping up with the demand.

 

Once he was naked I crawled to the edge of the bed, held him by his hips and dove down on that dark, leaking, delicious cock of his. He moaned as his hands glided along my shoulders, back and ass, his firm flesh sliding in my mouth so nicely as his hips rolled gently under my hands. I took his cock down my throat one more time and then I released him, kissed my way up his stomach, chest and neck and then we rolled back onto the bed.

 

We kissed each other and rutted against each other like teenagers until he finally tore himself away long enough to get the lubricant. He slicked up his fingers and slid inside me effortlessly, his mouth coming down to swallow the whimpering sounds I was making.

 

I felt him getting his cock ready and then I felt him sliding inside, my eyes rolling back into my head as I felt him hit my prostate on the first thrust…and the damn over-achiever hit that sweet spot on every single thrust after that too.

 

My heart was pounding, my legs were shaking and my back was tight and rigid as he thrust into me and slowly increased his speed. A few minutes of that maddening and easy going speed and I was just about to beg for more…but I didn’t have to. Spock moved up, placed his hands on either side of my head and started pounding into me hard and fast. His arms felt like velvet covered steel bars as my shoulders got pushed against them. I reached up and grabbed those arms for support as he thrust into me with the most amazing force I had ever felt, as those engorged balls of his slapped against the sensitive skin of my ass.

 

He didn’t let up the entire time we were like that, he felt as though he was ready and willing to go on like this forever…

 

But before I knew it he was cumming inside me, the warm seed filling me as he thrust deep inside me one last time. I reached down and pumped my cock at lightning speed as I kept a vice-like grip on his arm.

 

I came over my stomach and chest, and then my body gave out from the exertion and I sank into the bed, the relief feeling like a drug in my veins.

 

Spock kissed me gently and passionately before getting up and going to the camera, giving me a great view of his ass.

 

“I should take the camera next time and take a few good pictures of you” I said as I stretched out my well used muscles.

 

“I see no reason why we can’t take turns with the camera” he said as he put it away and went to the bathroom for a washcloth.

 

After that we cleaned up, we mustered up enough energy to have dinner together and went to bed…After Spock put the pictures on an encrypted disk of course.

 

I laid in bed planning and dreaming about all the things I wanted to do with the camera when it was my turn.

 

…I was still coming up with ideas the next morning.


End file.
